Exciton binding energies in II–VI compound strained layer superlattices

II–VI strained-layer superlattices are very efficient emitters of visible light. The dependence of the luminescence intensity on the excitation power density allows us to characterise the recombination processes involved in the emission. At low temperatures excitonic processes are dominant whereas electron-hole recombinations feature at room temperature. No special evidence of the dual nature of the emission is observed at intermediate temperatures because the optical transitions are broadened by well-width fluctuations. In spite of this we may estimate the exciton binding energy from the temperature dependence of the photoluminescence intensity, as long as the photoluminescence remains excitonic. This is the case for narrow wells in CdS---ZnS superlattices over the temperature range zero to room temperature. The estimated exciton binding energy measured in this way approaches the two dimensional limit but does not exceed it.