A link between shape dependent lifetimes and thermal escape in quantum dots and rings

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the geometry of quantum dots and rings influences their thermal escape mechanisms and exciton lifetimes, revealing geometry-dependent effects on emission properties crucial for device applications.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical analysis linking the geometry of nanostructures to their thermal escape processes and exciton lifetime behaviors.

Findings

Geometry affects thermal escape mechanisms.

Energy levels are geometry-dependent.

Temperature-lifetime relationships vary with shape.

Abstract

Understanding the optical emission characteristics of semiconductor nanostructures is important when determing their device applicability. The emission depends on the material and its geometry, but also depends on other processes such as thermal escape from the nanostructure. Although it is widely accepted that scattering involving longitudinal optical phonons is the key process in thermal escape, it remains unclear why some quantum structures thermally emit excitons and other single charge carriers. To investigate this phenomena we theoretically determine the energy levels and temperature-lifetime relationships of quantum dots and rings. We find that replicating the observed temperature dependence of the exciton lifetime requires both an eigenspectrum and a thermal escape mechanism which are geometry dependent. This suggests that geometry may be a significant factor in determining the dominant thermal escape process in quantum structures.