PIEZOELECTRIC EFFECT IN STRAINED QUANTUM WALLS

This paper describes some physical aspects of the piezoelectric effect which takes place in strained semiconductor heterostructures grown al ong a polar axis. First we show how piezoelectric fields can be accura tely measured by optical spectroscopy. Then we discuss about the origi n of the nbn-linear piezoelectric effect reported recently for CdTe, a nd maybe for InAs as well. Finally we compare excitonic effects in pie zoelectric and non-piezoelectric quantum wells.