Electric field induced nonlinear optical properties of a confined exciton in a ZnO/Zn1−xMgxO strained quantum dot

Electric field induced exciton binding energy as a function of dot radius in a ZnO/Zn_1−xMg_xO quantum dot is investigated. The interband emission as a function of dot radius is obtained in the presence of electric field strength. The Stark effect on the exciton as a function of the dot radius is discussed. The effects of strain, including the hydrostatic and the biaxial strain and the internal electric field, induced by spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization are taken into consideration in all the calculations. Numerical calculations are performed using variational procedure within the single band effective mass approximation. Some nonlinear optical properties are investigated for various electric field strengths in a ZnO/Zn_1−xMg_xO quantum dot taking into account the strain-induced piezoelectric effects. Our results show that the nonlinear optical properties strongly depend on the effects of electric field strength and the geometrical confinement.     

Electric field induced exciton binding energy and its non-linear optical properties in a narrow InSb/InGaxSb1−x quantum dot

The effect of electric field on the binding energy, interband emission energy and the non-linear optical properties of exciton as a function of dot radius in an InSb/InGa_xSb_1?x quantum dot are investigated. Numerical calculations are carried out using single band effective mass approximation variationally to compute the exciton binding energy and optical properties are obtained using the compact density matrix approach. The dependence of the nonlinear optical processes on the dot sizes is investigated for various electric field strength. The linear, third order non-linear optical absorption coefficients, susceptibility values and the refractive index changes of electric field induced exciton as a function of photon energy are obtained. It is found that electric field and the geometrical confinement have great influence on the optical properties of dots.     

Optical detection of an electric field in a GaAs/AlGaAs <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">i</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis> heterostructure with double quantum wells

Processes occurring when a static transverse electric field is applied to a GaAs/AlGaAs n-i-n heterostructure with single quantum wells and asymmetric tunnel-coupled double quantum wells have been investigated by optical methods. The difference between the energies of exciton transitions for quantum wells of different widths makes it possible to attribute the observed photoluminescence peaks to particular pairs of wells or particular single quantum wells. The local electric field for each quantum well has been determined in terms of the Stark shift and splitting of exciton lines in a wide range of external voltage. A qualitative model has been proposed to explain the nonmonotonic distribution of the electric field over the depth of the heterostructure.     

Determination of exciton transition energies and oscillator strengths in AlGaAsGaAs multiple quantum well structures in an electric field using photocurrent spectroscopy

Photocurrent spectroscopy of Al_xGa_1−xAsGaAs multiple quantum well structures in an electric field perpendicular to the heterointerface was used to characterize exciton transition energies and oscillator strengths as a function of applied field. Excitons, some of which grow with increasing electric field, were identified for electric fields in the range of 0–4×10⁴V/cm. The electric field dependence of exciton oscillator strengths and transition energies is attributed to a complicated interplay between local variation of zone center electron and hole wave function overlap and strong valence-band mixing. Excellent agreement between experiment and theory, which incorporates valence subband mixing effects, is found.     

Exciton binding energies in GaN/AlxGa1 − xN pseudomorphic quantum wells

Interband transitions of pseudomorphic GaN/Al_xGa_1 − xN quantum wells are analysed theoretically with respect to the piezoelectric field utilizing a 6  ×  6 Rashba–Sheka–Pikus (RSP) Hamiltonian. Band structure modifications due to the built-in Stark effect explain a shift of the emission peak in GaN/Al_0.15Ga_0.85N of up to 400 meV. Quantum well exciton binding energies are calculated by the variational method and are discussed in terms of spatial separation of electrons and holes by the built-in electric field, as well as the interaction between valence subbands.     

Observation of confined states in anIn0.53Ga0.47As/In0.52Al0.48Asmulti-quantum wells structure by quantum confined Stark effects

Photocurrent spectra in an In_0.53Ga_0.47As /In_0.52Al_0.48As multi-quantum wells structure containing 9.4 nm wide wells were measured at room temperature in electric fields. The exciton peaks of ground-state transitions shifted fairly in 167 kV cm ^− 1as the quantum confined Stark effect. Stark shifts were calculated by using the Runge–Kutta method using the effective mass equation with our experimental band parameters. Our parameters are the hole effective masses and valence band offset derived from saturation of a highest eigen energy, electron effective mass depending on energies and the conduction band offset derived from observed quantum number. It was possible to sufficiently use our experimental band parameters for the calculation of the Stark shift in the electric field.     

Optical properties of exciton confinement in wurtzite ZnO/MgxZn1−xO coupled quantum dots

Based on the framework of effective-mass approximation and variational approach, optical properties of exciton are investigated theoretically in ZnO/Mg_xZn_1−xO vertically coupled quantum dots (QDs), with considering the three-dimensional confinement of electron and hole pair and the strong built-in electric field effects due to the piezoelectricity and spontaneous polarization. The exciton binding energy, the emission wavelength and the oscillator strength as functions of the different structural parameters (the dot height and the barrier thickness between the coupled wurtzite ZnO QDs) are calculated with the built-in electric field in detail. The results elucidate that structural parameters have a significant influence on the exciton state and optical properties of ZnO coupled QDs. These results show the optical and electronic properties of the quantum dot that can be controlled and also tuned through the nanoparticle size variation.     

Electron-phonon effects on Stark shifts of excitons in parabolic quantum wells: Fractional-dimension variational approach

Electron-phonon effects on Stark shifts of excitons in parabolic quantum wells are studied theoretically by using a fractional dimension method in combination with a Lee-Low-Pines-like transformation and a perturbation theory. The numerical results for the exciton binding energies and electron-phonon contributions to the binding energies as functions of the well width and the electric field in the Al_0.3Ga_0.7As parabolic quantum well structure are obtained. It is shown that both exciton binding energy and electron-phonon contributions have a maximum with increasing the well width. The binding energy and electron-phonon contribution decrease significantly with increasing the electric-field strength, in special in the wide-well case.     

Exciton in wurtzite GaN/AlxGa1−xN coupled quantum dots

Based on effective-mass approximation, we present a three-dimensional study of the exciton in GaN/Al_xGa_1−xN vertically coupled quantum dots (QDs) by a variational approach. The strong built-in electric field due to the piezoelectricity and spontaneous polarization is considered. The relationship between exciton states and structural parameters of wurtzite GaN/Al_xGa_1−xN coupled QDs is studied in detail. Our numerical results show that the strong built-in electric field in the GaN/Al_xGa_1−xN strained coupled QDs leads to a marked reduction of the effective band gap of GaN QDs. The exciton binding energy, the QD transition energy and the electron-hole recombination rate are reduced if barrier thickness L^AlGaN is increased. The sizes of QDs have a significant influence on the exciton state and interband optical transitions in coupled QDs.     

Influence of exciton energy on intersubband transition of chirped superlattice GaAs/AlGaAs quantum cascade laser

The influence of exciton energy on intersubband transition was simulated for a chirped supperlattice quantum cascade laser of GaAs/Al_xGa_1-xAs. Exciton energy was modelled as a function of QW width for alloys of various percentages of constituent elements. The results showed that the exciton energy decreased proportionally with increasing QW width. Models were also generated to study exciton energy as a function of the percent alloy contents of Al_xGa_1-xAs barriers for QWs of various widths. Exciton energy showed characteristics of higher discrete energy when QW width was narrower. Transition energy was also simulated from e₁ and e₂ to the 1s exciton state as functions of applied electric field at various QW widths. Our simulation results showed that the transition energy from e₂ to the 1s exciton state increased proportionally to the increasing strength of the electric field. This transition energy was indicative of THz range radiation.     

Excitonic spectrum of an undoped quantum well in electric field

The effect of the valence band coupling on the excitonic spectrum of an undoped GaAsAl_xGa_1−xAs quantum well subjected to a normal electric field is examined. The exciton states are split because of the spin-splitting of the hole subbands. The binding energies of the (00h) and (001) excitons are noticeably increased. The transition strength of the “forbidden” (01h) exciton is enhanced both by the electric field and the strong mixing of the hole states. The binding of the 001 exciton is further increased because it exhibits a Fano-like resonance with the electron-heavy hole continuum.     

Influence of Mg content on optical properties of exciton confinement in wurtzite ZnO/MgxZn1−xO coupled quantum dots

Based on the framework of effective-mass approximation and variational approach, optical properties of exciton are investigated theoretically in ZnO/Mg_xZn_1−xO vertically coupled quantum dots (QDs), with considering the three-dimensional confinement of electron and hole pair and the strong built-in electric field effects. The exciton binding energy, the emission wavelength and the oscillator strength as functions of the structural parameters (the dot height, the barrier thickness between the coupled wurtzite ZnO QDs and Mg content x in the barrier layers) is calculated in detail. The results elucidate that Mg content have a significant influence on the exciton state and optical properties of ZnO coupled QDs. When Mg content x increases, the strong built-in electric field increases and leads to the redshift of the effective band gap of the Mg_xZn_1−xO layer. These theoretical results are useful for design and application of some important photoelectronic devices constructed by using ZnO strained QDs.     

Phonon and electron-hole plasma effects on binding energies of excitons in wurtzite GaN/In<Subscript>x</Subscript>Ga<Subscript>1−x</Subscript>N quantum wells

The binding energy of an exciton screened by the electron-hole plasma in a wurtzite GaN/In _x Ga_1−x N quantum well (in the case of 0.1 < x < 1 within which the interface phonon modes play a dominant role) is calculated including the exciton-phonon interaction by a variational method combined with a self-consistent procedure. The coupling between the exciton and various longitudinal-like optical phonon modes is considered to demonstrate the polaronic effect which strongly depends on the exciton wave function. All of the built-in electric field, the exciton-phonon interaction and the electron-hole plasma weaken the Coulomb coupling between an electron and a hole to reduce the binding energy since the former separates the wave functions of the electron and hole in the z direction and the later two enlarge the exciton Bohr radius. The electron-hole plasma not only restrains the built-in electric field, but also reduces the polaronic effect to the binding energy.     

Improvement in intersubband optical absorption and the effects of device parameter variations in quantum wells with an applied electric field

The intersubband optical absorption in symmetric and asymmetric, single and coupled, double GaAs/ Ga_{1 − x}Al_xAs quantum wells is calculated. The results have been obtained in the presence of a uniform electric field as a function of the potential symmetry, size of the quantum well, and coupling parameter of the wells. In coupled double quantum wells we obtain a large Stark effect that can be used to fabricate tuneable photodetectors. We show that the effect of an applied electric field on the intersubband optical absorption is similar to changes in the dimensions of the structure. This behaviour in the intersubband optical absorption for different wells and barrier geometries can be used to study these systems in regions of interest, without the need for the growth of many different samples.     

On the binding energies of excitons in polar quantum well structures in a weak electric field

The binding energies of excitons in quantum well structures subjected to an applied uniform electric field by taking into account the exciton longitudinal optical phonon interaction is calculated. The binding energies and corresponding Stark shifts for Ⅲ-Ⅴ and Ⅱ-Ⅵ compound semiconductor quantum well structures have been numerically computed. The results for GaAs/A1GaAs and ZnCdSe/ZnSe quantum wells are given and discussed. Theoretical results show that the exciton-phonon coupling reduces both the exciton binding energies and the Stark shifts by screening the Coulomb interaction. This effect is observable experimentally and cannot be neglected.     

Anisotropic exciton Stark shift in hemispherical quantum dots

The exciton Stark shift and polarization in hemispherical quantum dots(HQDs) each as a function of strength and orientation of applied electric field are theoretically investigated by an exact diagonalization method. A highly anisotropic Stark redshift of exciton energy is found. As the electric field is rotated from Voigt to Faraday geometry, the redshift of exciton energy monotonically decreases. This is because the asymmetric geometric shape of the hemispherical quantum dot restrains the displacement of the wave function to the higher orbital state in response to electric field along Faraday geometry. A redshift of hole energy is found all the time while a transition of electron energy from this redshift to a blueshift is found as the field is rotated from Voigt to Faraday geometry. Taking advantage of the diminishing of Stark effect along Faraday geometry, the hemispherical shapes can be used to improve significantly the radiative recombination efficiency of the polar optoelectronic devices if the strong internal polarized electric field is along Faraday geometry.     

Exciton states and interband optical transitions in wurtzite InGaN/GaN quantum dot nanowire heterostructures

Within the framework of the effective-mass approximation, the exciton states and interband optical transitions in In_xGa_1−xN/GaN strained quantum dot (QD) nanowire heterostructures are investigated using a variational method, in which the important built-in electric field (BEF) effects, dielectric-constant mismatch and three-dimensional confinement of the electron and hole in In_xGa_1−xN QDs are considered. We find that the strong BEF gives rise to an obvious reduction of the effective band gap of QDs and leads to a remarkable electron-hole spatial separation. The BEF, QD height and radius, and dielectric mismatch effects have a significant influence on exciton binding energy, electron interband optical transitions, and the exciton oscillator strength.     

Excitons in cylindrical GaAs–Ga1−xAlxAs quantum dots under applied electric field

The exciton binding energy and photoluminescence energy transition in a GaAs-Ga_1−xAl_xAs cylindrical quantum dot are studied with the use of the effective mass approximation and a variational calculation procedure. The influence of these properties on the application of an electric field along the growth direction of the cylinder is particularly considered. It is shown that for zero applied field the binding energy and the photoluminescence energy transition are decreasing functions of the quantum dot radius and height. Given a fixed geometric configuration, both quantities then become decreasing functions of the electric field strength as well.     

Quantum confined Stark effect in single self-assembled GaN/AlN quantum dots

We have experimentally and theoretically investigated quantum confined Stark effect in hexagonal self-assembled GaN/AlN quantum dots. We have observed a blueshift of up to 100 meV for vertical electric field applied against the built-in electric field while we have observed a redshift for the electric field along the built-in field. The experimental result is compared with a charge self-consistent effective mass calculation, taking into account strain, piezoelectric charge, and pyroelectric charge. The tunability of the emission energy and the exciton binding energy is discussed.     

Electric-field control of electron–hole wave functions in a wide quantum well

The electric field dependence of the electron/hole wave function and the radiation energy of an exciton in a Be-δ-doped 80 nm quantum well (QW) is studied experimentally and compared it with variational calculation. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra show Stark shifts depending on the gate electric field and PL intensity of the exciton of the first excited state has a dip in the electric-field dependence which reflects the node of the electron wave function.