Abstract

Previously¹, it has been shown that c.w. photoluminescence (PL) at helium temperatures for excitons confined in quantum wells decreases sharply (i.e. is quenched) when an electric field is applied perpendicular to the layers. It was suggested there that the decrease might be due to spatial separation of the electrons and holes under the influence of the electric field. This separation would reduce the electron-hole spatial overlap, thus increasing the exciton radiative lifetime. In order to examine the luminescence quenching in more detail, we have measured the exciton PL decay directly.

© 1985 Optical Society of America