SHORT PULSE PHYSICS OF QUANTUM WELL STRUCTURES

A report is presented on some recent results of time-resolved studies of the carrier dynamics in GaAs/GaAlAs quantum well structures with picosecond and subpicosecond and subpicosecond time resolution. These experiments have provided insight into carrier trapping, energy relaxations, and carrier recombination processes. Carrier trapping into the quantum well layers is very efficient and determines the decay of the GaAlAs luminescence even for 1 mu m thick cladding layers. Carrier recombination is enhanced particularly at low temperatures. This effect has been attributed to the increased overlap of electron and hole (exciton) wavefunctions in the quasi-two-dimensional carrier system.