Time-Resolved Speckle Analysis: A New Approach to Coherence and Dephasing of Optical Excitations in Solids

A new method to measure the time-dependent coherence of both homogeneously and inhomogeneously broadened optical excitations in solids is presented. The coherence degree of resonantly excited light emission is deduced from the intensity fluctuations over the emission directions (speckles). This method determines the decays of intensity and coherence separately, thus distinguishing lifetime from pure dephasing. The secondary emission of excitons in semiconductor quantum wells is investigated. Here the combination of static disorder and inelastic scattering leads to a partially coherent emission. The temperature dependence is well explained by phonon scattering.