CARRIER RELAXATION DYNAMICS IN QUANTUM DOTS - SCATTERING MECHANISMS AND STATE-FILLING EFFECTS

Stressor-induced InxGa1-xAs quantum dot structures of high structural quality allow a detailed experimental investigation of carrier relaxat ion between distinct zero-dimensional quantized states. Time-resolved photoluminescence studies combined with appropriate model calculations show that state filling effects, Coulomb scattering, and acoustic pho non scattering determine the relaxation scenario in a way characterist ic for a zero-dimensional electronic system. These investigations allo w a quantitative estimation of the inter-dot-level relaxation rates me diated by (i) Coulomb scattering and (ii) acoustic phonon scattering.