Microscopic theory of spatially resolved photoluminescence in disordered nanostructures

Abstract

Quantum dots have become objects of extensive research activity because of their applications such as advanced electronic and optoelectronic devices. Here we analyse theoretically the optical properties of dots naturally formed by interface fluctuations in GaAs narrow quantum wells. Specifically we present the simulations of local optical spectroscopy and spatially resolved photoluminescence in quantum wells with interface fluctuations. The theory includes light quantization, acoustic phonon scattering, and inhomogeneous sample-excitation and/or light-detection. Such theoretical framework provides a general basis for the description of spectroscopic imaging. Numerically calculated absorption and photoluminescence images clarify the impact of the near-field optical setup and put forward the potentials of the method for the understanding of near-field light emission from semiconductor quantum structures.