Exciton luminescence in In0.3Ga0.7As/GaAs quantum well heterostructures

Emission maxima related to the recombination of excitons (e1–hh1, e1–lh1, e2–hh2, and e2–lh2) were observed in photoluminescence spectra of GaAs/In_0.3Ga_0.7As/GaAs quantum wells. The emission bands due to e1–hh1 and e1–lh1 transitions were found to have a doublet character explained by the exchange interaction of excitons in quantum wells. Emission bands due to radiative E^b–hh1, E^b–lh1 transitions in the buffer GaAs layer are observed in the region of 1.5 eV.     

Characterization of aluminium concentration in shallow quantum wells AlxGa1−xAs/GaAs types

We report a reflectance study on series of shallow quantum wells GaAs/Al_xGa_1−xAs types with different aluminium concentration. The observed barrier exciton reflectance line shape depends strongly on the shift in aluminium concentration in the two barriers, with the appropriate choice of the cap layer thickness. This observation was based on the reflectivity line shape analysis of anti-Bragg structures.     

Kinetic effects in recombination of optical excitations in disordered quantum heterostructures: Theory and experiment

An overview of recent experimental and theoretical results on stationary and time-dependent photoluminescence spectra in disordered semiconductor heterostructures is presented. In particular, temperature-dependent peak position and linewidth of the luminescence spectra, as well as the luminescence intensity are considered along with the time evolution of the luminescence intensity after pulsed excitation. Emphasis is given on the comparison between experimental and theoretical results aiming at a characterization of disorder in the underlying structures.     

The effect of the excitation and of the temperature on the photoluminescence circular polarization of AlInAs/AlGaAs quantum dots

In this paper, we present a study of photoluminescence (PL) from AlInAs/AlGaAs quantum dots (QDs) structures grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Specifically, we describe the effects of the temperature and of the excitation density on the photoluminescence circular polarization. We have found that the circular polarization degree depends on temperature. On the other hand, the study of the excitation density dependent circular polarization PL degree shows that the last increases in the case of the sample of weak dot density. However, in the case of large dot density, it is almost constant in the excitation density range from 0.116 W cm⁻² to 9 W cm⁻².     

Optical transmission spectra in symmetrical Fibonacci photonic multilayers

We study the transmission properties of light through the symmetric Fibonacci photonic multilayers, i.e, a binary one-dimensional quasiperiodic structure, made up of both positive (SiO₂) and negative refractive index materials with a mirror symmetry. These spectra are calculated by using a theoretical model based on the transfer matrix approach for normal incidence geometry, in which many perfect transmission peaks (the transmission coefficients are equal to the unity) are numerically obtained. Besides, the transmission coefficient exhibits a six-cycle self-similar behavior with respect to the generation number of the Fibonacci sequence.     

Magnetooptical investigations of single self assembled In0.3Ga0.7As quantum dots

We present results from magnetooptical investigations of large elongated single self assembled In_0.3Ga_0.7As quantum dots with a low surface density of . Compared to conventional In_0.6Ga_0.4As quantum dots the dimension of the investigated dots is enlarged by nearly one order of magnitude using a low strain In_0.3Ga_0.7As nucleation layer. In addition, the exciton exhibits a smaller g-factor of 0–0.4 and a larger diamagnetic coefficient of 20– in Faraday geometry, reflecting the increased extension of the exciton wavefunction, with respect to In_0.6Ga_0.4As quantum dots. From power dependent investigations we observe biexciton binding energies ranging from 1.7 to 1.9 meV. Excited state emission appears typically 2–5 meV above the ground state which is consistent with the increased dimensions of the structure. Furthermore we find linear polarization degrees of up to 0.6 from exciton emission of the elongated quantum dot structure.     

Dependence of the heavy-hole exciton reduced mass on quantum-well size in InGaAs/GaAs heterostructures

We present low temperature photoluminescence investigations of the exciton ground state of In_0.14Ga_0.86As/GaAs quantum wells (QW) in the presence of pulsed magnetic fields up to 50 T. The exciton in-plane reduced mass and the heavy-hole in-plane mass are determined from the best fit of theoretical calculations to the magnetic field dependence of PL peaks. When the QW thickness decreases, their masses increases due to valence-band mixing effect.     

Optical Transmittance and Band Gap of Ferroelectric BaTi2O5 Bulk Glass

Optical transmittance and reflectance on ferroelectric BaTi₂O₅ glasses prepared recently by a containerless synthesis technique are measured at room temperature in the wavelength range 190-800nm. The fundamental absorption edge located around 340nm demonstrates the colourless and transparent character of the glass. The optical band gap of 3.32eV has been estimated. The tail of the optical absorption near the fundamental absorption edge is found to follow the Urbach rule. Our analysis of the experimental spectra supports an indirect allowed interband transition between the valence band formed by O-2p orbitals and the conduction band formed by Ti-3d orbitals.     

Micro-photoluminescence study of electron-spin injection in self-assembled semiconductor quantum dots

We present a micro-photoluminescence (m-PL) study of electron-spin injection under magnetic fields in self-assembled semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) of CdSe. A characteristic band line-up of the CdSe QDs coupled with a diluted magnetic semiconductor quantum well (DMS-QW) of ZnCdMnSe through a ZnSe barrier layer enabled us to inject the electron spins from the DMS-QW into QDs. An experimental evidence of the electron-spin injection was provided by observations of circularly polarized m-PL spectra from individual QDs in this coupled QD structure. We find anti-correlation of PL intensity in between the DMS-QW (spin injector) and the individual QDs (spin receiver).     

Shape dependent electronic structure and exciton dynamics in small In(Ga)As quantum dots

We present a study of the primary optical transitions and recombination dynamics in InGaAs self-assembled quantum nanostructures with different shape. Starting from the same quantum dot seeding layer, and depending on the overgrowth conditions, these new nanostructures can be tailored in shape and are characterized by heights lower than 2 nm and base lengths around 100 nm. The geometrical shape strongly influences the electronic and optical properties of these nanostructuctures. We measure for them ground state optical transitions in the range 1.25–1.35 eV and varying energy splitting between their excited states. The temperature dependence of the exciton recombination dynamics is reported focusing on the intermediate temperature regime (before thermal escape begins to be important). In this range, an important increase of the effective photoluminescence decay time is observed and attributed to the state filling and exciton thermalization between excited and ground states. A rate equation model is also developed reproducing quite well the observed exciton dynamics.     

Giant optical anisotropy in M-plane GaN/AlGaN quantum wells due to crystal-field effect

The optical polarization of GaN/AlGaN wurtzite quantum wells in various orientations is studied using an arbitrarily-oriented [hkil] Hamiltonian potential matrix. The optical matrix elements in the wurtzite quantum wells are calculated using the k⋅p finite difference scheme. The results reveal the presence of giant in-plane optical anisotropy (polarized normal to [0001]) in the M-plane (i.e., the -oriented layer plane) GaN/Al_0.2Ga_0.8N quantum well, due to the positive crystal-field split energy effect (ΔCR>0). The present theoretical results are consistent with the photoluminescence measurements presented in the literature [B. Rau, et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 77 (2000) 3343].     

对称GaAs/Al0.3Ga0.7As双量子阱中激子的束缚能

在有效质量近似下采用简单的尝试波函数变分地计算了对称GaAs/Al_0.3Ga_0.7As双量子阱中激子体系束缚能，研究了体系束缚能随阱宽和垒宽的变化情况. 发现双量子阱中激子体系束缚能随阱宽变化同单量子阱情况类似，但束缚能的峰值出现在阱宽为10?左右，峰值位置小于单阱的情况；束缚能随垒宽的增加有一极小值，这与波函数向垒中的渗透有关.     

Giant optical anisotropy in R-plane GaN/AlGaN quantum wells caused by valence band mixing effect

This study investigates the optical anisotropy spectrum in the R-plane (i.e., the -oriented layer plane) of GaN/Al_0.2Ga_0.8N quantum wells of different widths. The optical matrix elements in the wurtzite quantum wells are calculated using the k⋅p finite difference scheme. The calculations show that the valence band mixing effect produces giant in-plane optical anisotropy in -oriented GaN/Al_0.2Ga_0.8N quantum wells with a narrow width. The nature of the in-plane optical anisotropy is found to be dependent on the well width. Specifically, it is found that the anisotropy changes from x^′-polarization to y^′-polarization as the well width increases.     

Photoluminescence spectra of thin films containing CdSe/ZnS quantum dots irradiated by 532-nm laser radiation and gamma-rays

We have investigated temporal behavior of the photoluminescence (PL) spectra of thin films containing CdSe/ZnS quantum dots irradiated by 532 nm laser radiation and gamma-rays. Under ∼100 W/cm² laser radiation, the PL intensity (I_PL) increases with irradiation time upto about 500 s and thereafter declines linearly. The wavelength of the PL emission (λ_peak) exhibits a blue-shift with exposure time. Upon simultaneous irradiation by 100 W/cm² 532-nm laser, as well as 0.57 and 1.06 MeV gamma-rays, the temporal behaviors of both I_PL and λ_peak are significantly different; I_PL increases to a saturation level, and the magnitude of the blue-shift in λ_peak is reduced. We discuss possible mechanisms underlying these results.     

Electric field effect in the spin dynamics of self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots

We identify fundamental mechanisms of electron and hole dynamics in self-organized InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) subject to vertical electric fields by photocurrent investigations. We propose a spin–flip mechanism involving a spin exchange between neighboring QDs. The spin–flip process is revealed in the photocurrent dynamics when the exciton population increases unexpectedly with reverse bias.     

Zeeman mapping of exciton localization in self-assembled CdSe quantum dots using diluted magnetic semiconductors

Localization of exciton wavefunctions in self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) has been investigated using CdSe QDs embedded in ZnMnSe. This system was chosen so as to make use of the giant Zeeman splitting in the diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) ZnMnSe, which enables one to map how the exciton wavefunction is distributed between the QDs and the surrounding matrix. Two series of CdSe QDs in ZnMnSe were prepared for this investigation by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), either by varying the CdSe coverage while keeping a constant Mn concentration in ZnMnSe; or by varying the Mn concentration in the matrix while maintaining a constant CdSe coverage. Photoluminescence (PL) experiments show a systematic evolution of the CdSe QDs with increasing CdSe coverage; and also reveal the role of Mn in nucleating (“seeding”) the self-assembly of the QDs. By simultaneously measuring the Zeeman shifts of the PL peaks from both the CdSe QDs and their ZnMnSe matrix, we are able to extract information on exciton localization in the QDs and its dependence on the degree of development of the self-assembled CdSe QDs with increasing CdSe coverage.     

Refractive index, oscillator parameters and temperature-tuned energy band gap of Tl4In3GaS8-layered single crystals

Transmission and reflection measurements in the wavelength region 450-1100 nm were carried out on Tl₄In₃GaS₈-layered single crystals. The analysis of the room temperature absorption data revealed the presence of both optical indirect and direct transitions with band gap energies of 2.32 and 2.52 eV, respectively. The rate of change of the indirect band gap with temperature dE_gi/dT=-6.0×10⁻⁴ eV/K was determined from transmission measurements in the temperature range of 10-300 K. The absolute zero value of the band gap energy was obtained as E_gi(0)=2.44 eV. The dispersion of the refractive index is discussed in terms of the Wemple-DiDomenico single-effective-oscillator model. The refractive index dispersion parameters: oscillator energy, dispersion energy, oscillator strength and zero-frequency refractive index were found to be 4.87 eV, 26.77 eV, 8.48×10¹³ m⁻² and 2.55, respectively.     

Temperature Dependence of Photoluminescence from Single and Ensemble InAs/GaAs Quantum Dots

We investigate the temperature dependence of photoluminescence from single and ensemble InAs/GaAs quantum dots systematically. As temperature increases, the exciton emission peak for single quantum dot shows broadening and redshift. For ensemble quantum dots, however, the exciton emission peak shows narrowing and fast redshift. We use a simple steady-state rate equation model to simulate the experimental data of photoluminescence spectra. It is confirmed that carrier-phonon scattering gives the broadening of the exciton emission peak in single quantum dots while the effects of carrier thermal escape and retrapping play an important role in the narrowing and fast redshift of the exciton emission peak in ensemble quantum dots.     

Optical anisotropy and pinning of the linear polarization of light in semiconductor microcavities

We report strong experimental evidence of the optical anisotropy in a CdTe-based microcavity: the polarization of light is pinned to one of the crystallographic axes independently of the polarization of the excitation. The polarization degree depends strongly on the excitation power, reaching almost 100% in the stimulated regime. The relaxation time of the polarization is about 1 ns. We argue that all of this is an effect of a splitting of the polariton doublet at k=0. We consider different sources for the splitting and conclude that the most likely one is optical birefringence in the mirrors and/or the cavity.     

Covariant formulation of the dynamics in a dissipative quantum dielectric obtained from a simplified Lagrangian

Equations of motion and energy-momentum tensors are obtained for a dissipative medium sustaining electromagnetic polarizations using a Lagrangian formalism. A previous work has been simplified by reducing the number of independent vector fields interacting with the sink modes. A relativistic formalism of the same is also suggested.