Fine structure of excitonic levels in quantum dots

The experimental results of a study of the fine structure of the levels of excitons localized in InAlAs quantum dots in an AlGaAs matrix are reported. Transformations from optical orientation to alignment and from alignment to orientation, which occur due to the exchange splitting of a dipole-active excitonic doublet and are allowed by the low symmetry of a quantum dot, are observed in a longitudinal magnetic field (Faraday geometry). A comparison of theory with experiment for a self-organized ensemble of quantum dots enables a determination of the character of the distribution over the dipole orientations for resonance optical transitions. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.