Fano coupling of Wannier-Stark excitons in superlattices

Abstract

Fano resonances arise due to quantum mechanical coupling of a discrete state to a degenerate continuum. The line shape in optical absorption spectra is characterized by an intrinsic broadening of the line, strong asymmetry, and a reduced absorption at one side of the peak falling well below the pure continuum level. Intensive theoretical investigations predicted Fano resonances as a general feature of a large variety of low-dimensional semiconductors. We present the observation of Fano resonances in semiconductor superlattices (SL). In SL, discrete excitonic states of the Wannier-Stark ladder are in resonance with subband continua of lower ladder states. The coupling between discrete and continuous states is mediated by Coulomb interaction, which is also responsible for the formation of the discrete excitonic states. As a unique feature of Fano resonances in SL, the Fano coupling strength can be continuously changed in the experiment by tuning the applied electric field. We have also performed time-integrated four-wave-mixing experiments to investigate the influence of Fano coupling on the polarization decay of a Wannier-Stark exciton. We have been able to resolve the polarization decay of a Fano resonance in the time-integrated signal and to follow its changes with field.