7 research outputs found
Realistic heterointerfaces model for excitonic states in growth-interrupted quantum wells
We present a model for the disorder of the heterointerfaces in GaAs quantum
wells including long-range components like monolayer island formation induced
by the surface diffusion during the epitaxial growth process. Taking into
account both interfaces, a disorder potential for the exciton motion in the
quantum well plane is derived. The excitonic optical properties are calculated
using either a time-propagation of the excitonic polarization with a
phenomenological dephasing, or a full exciton eigenstate model including
microscopic radiative decay and phonon scattering rates. While the results of
the two methods are generally similar, the eigenstate model does predict a
distribution of dephasing rates and a somewhat modified spectral response.
Comparing the results with measured absorption and resonant Rayleigh scattering
in GaAs/AlAs quantum wells subjected to growth interrupts, their specific
disorder parameters like correlation lengths and interface flatness are
determined. We find that the long-range disorder in the two heterointerfaces is
highly correlated, having rather similar average in-plane correlation lengths
of about 60 and 90 nm. The distribution of dephasing rates observed in the
experiment is in agreement with the results of the eigenstate model. Finally,
we simulate highly spatially resolved optical experiments resolving individual
exciton states in the deduced interface structure.Comment: To appear in Physical Review