Population properties and carrier dynamics in a GaAs/(Al,Ga)As double-quantum-well superlattice investigated by time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy

We have analyzed the electric-field-dependent subband population as well as the carrier dynamics in a double-quantum-well GaAs/(Al,Ga)As superlattice using time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Applying a rate eq uation model, the steady-state subband population of the majority carriers in the two quantum wells and the transfer coefficients for the minority car riers can be directly determined from measured time-dependent PL spectra. A comparison with results derived from steady-state PL investigations demons trates that the dynamics of the minority carriers are essential in order to determine the population of the majority carriers. In the experiments, we used an n-i-n structure, in which electrons are the majority and holes are the minority carriers. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.