Tuning the photoluminescence characteristics with curvature for rolled-up GaAs quantum well microtubes

III-V microtubes and nanotubes are formed by a strain-induced self-rolling process. We report room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) characteristics of such microtubes with embedded GaAs quantum-well structures and wall thickness as thin as 38 nm. Rolled-up tubes show dramatic PL intensity enhancement compared to their planar counterparts. Holey tubes, formed using patterned membranes, display further increase in intensity implying better light extraction efficiency with the air holes. Systematic shift of PL peak position as a function of tube curvature, attributed to strain induced band structure change, is established. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3456098]