Observations of interaction-assisted hopping transport in GaAs/Ga1−xAlxAs quantum wells

• Published in: Journal of luminescence Vol. 91; no. 1-2; pp. 7 - 12
• Main Authors: Golub, J.E, Eichmann, R, Strasser, G, Bernatz, G, Nau, S, Stolz, W, Thomas, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.09.2000; Elsevier
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Electrical properties of specific thin films; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Förster–Dexter transfer; Hopping simulations; Iii-v semiconductors; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of specific thin films; Physics; Quantum well photoluminescence; 78.20.Bh; 72.20.Ee; 78.66.−w; Quantum well photoluminescence; Hopping simulations; Förster–Dexter transfer; Aluminium arsenides; Gallium arsenides; Semiconductor materials; Ternary compounds; Quantum wells; Digital simulation; Photoluminescence; Theoretical study; Binary compounds; Experimental study; Monte Carlo methods; Excitons; Transport processes
• ISSN: 0022-2313; 1872-7883
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-2313(00)00211-8

We show that interaction-assisted modes of transport play a role in the energy relaxation of excitons in disordered GaAs quantum wells. Semitransparent gold films are found to induce a blue shift in the photoluminescence spectrum of disordered wells. We interpret the result in terms of a long-range electromagnetic hopping coupling suppressed by image dipoles in the gold. The results are supported by Monte Carlo simulations of electromagnetically-assisted exciton hopping using hop rates modified by the gold layer.