Radiative decay time as a function of temperature in double GaAs quantum rings

Abstract

This study examined the temperature-dependent, time-integrated/-resolved photoluminescence of the exciton states in double GaAs quantum rings. The density of states was analyzed from the temperature-dependent radiative decay time of exciton states to better understand the intra-relaxation process from thermally excited exciton states. To distinguish the radiative decay time from a non-radiative process, the decay time from the exciton states was calibrated by a comparison with the photoluminescence intensity at low temperatures, where the non-radiative process can be negligible. In ideal quantum ring structures, the ring width becomes almost zero. Therefore, one-dimensional nature would be expected. On the other hand, this assumption is not valid because widthless ring structures cannot be grown using current growth techniques. In other words, the quasi-one-dimensional nature (power order of the temperature dependence from radiative decay times ∼0.8 between 1.0 (two-dimensional nature) and 0.5 (one-dimensional nature)) was observed in quantum ring structures when the ring width was comparable to the radius of the ring structures. In the case of double quantum rings, however, the power order of the temperature dependence was obtained from the radiative decay times, which gave rise to 1.0, corresponding to a two-dimensional nature. This increased dimensional nature can be attributed to the appreciable ring width and ring size, extended wave function due to optical coupling, and the presence of dark exciton states.