Symmetric analysis, categorization, and optical spectrum of ideal pyramid quantum dots

Abstract

Self-assembled quantum dots possess an intrinsic geometric symmetry. Applying group representation theory, we systematically analyze the symmetric properties of the bound states for ideal pyramid quantum dots, which neglect band mixing and strain effects. We label each bound state by its symmetry group’s corresponding irreducible representation and define a concept called the quantum dots’ symmetry category. A class of quantum dots with the same irreducible representation sequence of bound states are characterized as belonging to a specific symmetry category. This category concept generally describes the symmetric order of Hilbert space or wavefunction space. We clearly identify the connection between the symmetry category and the geometry of quantum dots by the symmetry category graph or map. The symmetry category change or transition corresponds to an accidental degeneracy of the bound states. The symmetry category and category transition are observable from the photocurrent spectroscopy or optical spectrum. For simplicity’s sake, in this paper, we only focus on inter-subband transition spectra, but the methodology can be extended to the inter-band transition cases. We predict that from the spectral measurements, the quantum dots’ geometric information may be inversely extracted.