Abstract

In the last decade, quantum confined semiconductor structures (QCSS) have attracted much attention because of their novel properties and their potential for electronic and photonic applications [1]. Quantum size effects appear in a semiconductor structure when one of its dimensions is in the range 10Å <L<500 Å. In these materials the typical values of group and phase velocities of elementary excitations are such that the corresponding times are in the range 10fs<t<500fs. Therefore reduced dimensionality also implies ultrafast dynamics. In this talk we review the most significant results obtained in the investigation of ultrafast processes in QCSS. We also describe recent experiments that reveal some open questions in ultrafast physics of QCSS, which we discuss. The present summary gives a flavor of the topics covered by the lecture.

© 1994 Optical Society of America