Fermi-edge singularities in the photoluminescence spectrum of modulation-doped GaAs v-groove quantum wires

We report the observation of strong Fermi-edge singularities in the photoluminescence spectrum of strongly-confined, modulation-doped GaAs v-groove quantum wires. The behaviour of the singularity has been investigated at high excitation intensity, and both lattice and electrical heating. The latter produces a strong reduction of the singularity due to Fermi surface smearing, whereas, increased photoexcitation produces complex electron–hole correlation effects.     

Strong Fermi-edge singularity in ultra-high-quality AlGaAs/GaAs quantum wires

We report the observation of a strong Fermi-edge singularity (FES), with the complete suppression of the band-edge peak, in the photoluminescence spectra of ultra-high-quality modulation-doped AlGaAs/GaAs quantum wires (QWRs). We find that the FES effect is very sensitive to the Fermi energy. The strong FES is observed only in QWRs having a Fermi energy of the order of a few meV, and disappears almost completely when the Fermi energy exceeds 10 meV. These results are expected to spark new research activities, both experimentally and theoretically, on many-body effects in one-dimensional electron gas.     

Electron-phonon interaction effect on optical absorption in cylindrical quantum wires

Electron-phonon interaction effects on linear and nonlinear optical absorption in cylindrical quantum wires are investigated. The linear and nonlinear optical absorption coefficients are obtained by using compact-density-matrix approach and iterative method, and the numerical results are presented for GaAs/AlAs cylindrical quantum-well wires. The results show that electron-phonon interaction not only influences the relaxation rate but also distinctly influences the wave functions and energies of the electron. The correction of electron-phonon interaction effect on the wave functions of the electron dominates the values of absorption coefficients. Moreover, the correction of electron-phonon interaction effect on the energies of the electron makes the absorption peaks blue shift and become wider.     

Exciton states and optical absorption in quantum wires under laser radiation

We analyze the exciton states in a quantum wire under intense laser radiation. Electrons and holes are confined by the parabolic potential of the quantum wire. An exactly solvable model is introduced for calculating the exciton binding energy, replacing the actual Coulomb interaction between the electron and the hole by a projective operator.     

Noise-driven optical absorption coefficients of impurity doped quantum dots

We make an extensive investigation of linear, third-order nonlinear, and total optical absorption coefficients (ACs) of impurity doped quantum dots (QDs) in presence and absence of noise. The noise invoked in the present study is a Gaussian white noise. The quantum dot is doped with repulsive Gaussian impurity. Noise has been introduced to the system additively and multiplicatively. A perpendicular magnetic field acts as a source of confinement and a static external electric field has been applied. The AC profiles have been studied as a function of incident photon energy when several important parameters such as optical intensity, electric field strength, magnetic field strength, confinement energy, dopant location, relaxation time, Al concentration, dopant potential, and noise strength take on different values. In addition, the role of mode of application of noise (additive/multiplicative) on the AC profiles has also been analyzed meticulously. The AC profiles often consist of a number of interesting observations such as one photon resonance enhancement, shift of AC peak position, variation of AC peak intensity, and bleaching of AC peak. However, presence of noise alters the features of AC profiles and leads to some interesting manifestations. Multiplicative noise brings about more complexity in the AC profiles than its additive counterpart. The observations indeed illuminate several useful aspects in the study of linear and nonlinear optical properties of doped QD systems, specially in presence of noise. The findings are expected to be quite relevant from a technological perspective.     

Anisotropic optical absorption in quantum well wires induced by high-frequency laser fields

The subband structure and optical properties of a cylindrical quantum well wire under intense non-resonant laser field are investigated by taking into account the correct dressing effect for the confinement potential. The energy levels and wave functions are calculated within the effective mass- approximation using a finite element method. It is found that the absorption coefficient and the saturation intensity are strongly affected by the laser amplitude and frequency as well as by the incident light polarization. As a key result, a large anisotropy in the linear and nonlinear optical absorptions for very intense laser field is predicted. These effects can be useful for the design of polarization sensitive devices.     

Fermi-edge singularities in the mesoscopic x-ray edge problem

We study the x-ray edge problem for a chaotic quantum dot or nanoparticle displaying mesoscopic fluctuations. In the bulk, x-ray physics is known to produce Fermi-edge singularities-deviations from the naively expected photoabsorption cross section in the form of a peaked or rounded edge. For a coherent system with chaotic dynamics, we find substantial changes; in particular, a photoabsorption cross section showing a rounded edge in the bulk will change to a slightly peaked edge on average as the system size is reduced to a mesoscopic (coherent) scale.     

Fermi-edge singularities in AlxGa1-xAs quantum wells: extrinsic versus many-body scattering processes

A Fano resonance mechanism is evidenced to control the formation of optical Fermi-edge singularities in multisubband systems such as remotely doped AlxGa1-xAs heterostructures. Using Fano parameters, we probe the physical nature of the interaction between Fermi sea electrons and empty conduction subbands. We show that processes of extrinsic origin like alloy disorder prevail easily at 2D over multiple diffusions from charged valence holes expected by many-body scenarios.     

Infrared absorption by polar optical phonons in a CdS nanocrystal array consisting of quantum dots and quantum wires

Based on the results of experimental studies, it is shown that, when the effect of size quantization on the vibratory properties of CdS nanocrystals is insignificant, the absorption spectra of nanocomposites containing CdS quantum wires and quantum dots exhibit not only the peak associated with the transverse optical phonons but also two other pronounced peaks associated with electrostatic vibration modes. When the size of nanocrystals is so small that the effect of size quantization cannot be neglected, the structure of the reflection and transmission spectra becomes much more complicated because of the contribution of the mixed longitudinal-transverse phonon modes.     

Infrared-induced emission from silicon quantum wires

We present the first findings of a study of infrared-induced emission from silicon quantum wires, which is due to the formation of a correlation gap in the DOS of the degenerate hole gas. The quantum wires in this case are created by an electrostatic confining potential inside ultra-shallow p–n junctions which are realized using controlled surface injection of self-interstitials and vacancies in the process of non-equilibrium boron diffusion.     

Nonlinear optical properties of semiconductor quantum wires

Nonlinear optical transmission at discrete frequencies (bleaching bands) has been observed in CdSe and GaAs quantum wires crystallized in chrysotile asbestos nanotubes with average diameter ≈ 6 nm and in nanocrystals of CdS (crystallized in the transparent molecular filter—mica with empty channels of designed diameter). The induced decrease of absorption in quantum wires has been explained by filling of the size-quantized energy bands with nonequilibrium carriers (saturation effect) and by the phase-space filling of excitons.     

The optical Stark effect in semiconductor quantum wires

A new approach for controlling the optical emission wavelength of semiconductor quantum wires is proposed. The wavelength control resides upon the effect of an intense, long-wavelength laser field radiation applied to the semiconductor structure. Under such condition a strong optical Stark effect leads to optical tunability. Calculation of the optical Stark effect was carried out in the frame of the nonperturbative theory and finite difference method. Different geometries concerning the size of GaAs–AlGaAs quantum wires as well as the polarization direction and the strength of the applied laser field with respect to the quantum structure were considered.     

Polarization-dependent optical effects in open quantum well wires

We present a simple theory showing that open quantum well-wire structures demonstrate striking polarization-dependent optical effects. The reason for these effects is the inhomogeneous distribution of the electric component of electromagnetic field inside the nanostructure in cases when the field has components normal to the semiconductor/vacuum surface.     

Fabrication and optical properties of quantum dots and wires

We describe photoluminescence measurements made on mesa geometry quantum dots and wires with exposed side walls fabricated by laterally patterning undoped GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells using electron beam lithography and dry etching. At low temperature the photoluminescence efficiency of many but not all of the GaAs quantum dot arrays scales with the volume of quantum well material down to lateral dimensions of 50nm. This behaviour contrasts with that found in wires produced at the same time where the intensity falls off rapidly with decreasing wire width for dimensions below 500nm but is recovered by overgrowth with indium tin oxide, possibly as a result of strain. Narrow overgrown wires exhibit anisotropy in polarized excitation spectra which is discussed in relation to strain and lateral confinement effects.