Dimensional crossover of free exciton diffusion in etched GaAs wire structures

Abstract

We report on low-temperature spatially resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy to study the diffusion of free excitons in etched wire structures of high-purity GaAs. We assess the stationary diffusion profiles by the free exciton second LO-phonon replica to circumvent the inherent interpretation ambiguities of the previously investigated free exciton zero-phonon line. Moreover, strictly resonant optical excitation prevents the distortion of the diffusion profiles due to local heating in the carrier system. We observe a dimensional crossover from 2D to 1D exciton diffusion when the lateral wire width falls below the diffusion length.