Selection rules of intersubband transitions in conduction-band quantum wells

Rui Q. Yang, J. M. Xu, and Mark Sweeny
Phys. Rev. B 50, 7474 – Published 15 September 1994
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Abstract

In this work, optical intersubband transitions in conduction-band quantum wells have been reexamined in the multiband scheme. A generalized theory, with emphasis on the selection rules for the in-plane polarization, is developed in Kane’s kP formalism. By taking into account the interband couplings, it is shown that the optical transition between any pair of electron subbands can occur with either the normal-to-plane polarized light or the in-plane polarized light. The characteristics of intersubband transitions depend upon whether the subband index differences Δn are odd integers (Δn=1,3,. . .) or even integers (Δn=2,4,. . .). In the case of Δn being even integers, intersubband transitions of both polarizations are allowed for electrons with a finite in-plane wave vector. In fact, the transition rates are proportional to the value of the in-plane wave vector, and the in-plane polarized transition is dominant. In the case of Δn being an odd integer, optical intersubband transitions of both polarizations can occur with a zero in-plane wave vector, but the normal-to-plane polarized transition is dominant. Consequences for device implementation such as a normal-incidence infrared photodetector that makes use of the allowed in-plane polarized optical transitions are discussed.

  • Received 16 July 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.50.7474

©1994 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Rui Q. Yang and J. M. Xu

  • Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Toronto, 10 King’s College Road, Toronto, Canada, M5S 1A4

Mark Sweeny

  • Zytron Ltd., 85 North Cretin Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota 55104

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Vol. 50, Iss. 11 — 15 September 1994

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