Electron-phonon interaction in quantum-dot/quantum-well semiconductor heterostructures

Abstract

Polar optical phonons are studied in the framework of the dielectric continuum approach for a prototypical quantum-dot/quantum-well (QD/QW) heterostructure, including the derivation of the electron-phonon interaction Hamiltonian and a discussion of the effects of this interaction on the electronic energy levels. The particular example of the CdS/HgS QD/QW is addressed and the system is modelled according to the spherical geometry, considering a core sphere of material "1" surrounded by a spherically concentric layer of material "2", while the whole structure is embedded in a host matrix assumed as an infinite dielectric medium. The strength of the electron-LO phonon coupling is discussed in details and the polaronic corrections to both ground state and excited state electron energy levels are calculated. Interesting results concerning the dependence of polaronic corrections with the QD/QW structure size are analyzed.