Exciton interaction with photons is studied in CdTe/CdMnTe multiple qu
antum well structures differing by the spatial period. In the 10/10 nm
structures, the non-zero lateral momentum of photons attained in the
attenuated total reflection (ATR) affects the heavy-hole exciton line
shifting it to lower energies relative to that observed in the normal
transmission and even splitting it in the case of ATR of s-polarised l
ight. The light-hole exciton line shift turns out to be opposite. Thes
e effects do not appear in the 2/2 nm structures where the excitons in
adjacent wells do couple without the photon mediation. (C) 1998 Elsev
ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.