The present invention relates to a preferred semiconductor substrate for
the production of devices. The semiconductor substrate is comprised of
GaAs. Then, a plurality of quantum rings, which are composed of GaSb and
have a substantially elliptical shape with an aspect ratio of 2 or more
but 5 or less, are formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate.
These quantum rings extend along in the substantially same direction. In
a case where a light beam is irradiated onto the surface of the
semiconductor substrate, among the polarized components of the irradiated
light, one polarized component parallel to the long-axis direction of the
ellipse that is an extending direction of each quantum ring is reflected,
while another polarized component parallel to the short-axis direction
thereof is transmitted. That is, the semiconductor substrate reflects one
polarized component, and transmits the other polarized component. A
conventional semiconductor substrate having quantum rings of a
substantially true circle shape with an aspect ratio of nearly 1 could
not achieve the above separation of the polarized components. Therefore,
the semiconductor substrate according to the present invention is
preferred to the application to polarizing devices which was difficult in
the conventional substrate.