Optical anisotropy of semiconductor nanowires beyond the electrostatic limit

Semiconductor nanowires with diameters below 100 nm exhibit distinct polarization anisotropies that cannot be explained in the electrostatic limit. Comparing experiments with calculations reveals the effects of diameter-wavelength ratio, material dispersion, and local refractive index. All these parameters need to be taken into account to fully understand optical anisotropies in the size regime between extremely thin nanowires and bulklike materials. © 2010 The American Physical Society.