Interband transition distributions in the optical spectra of InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots

The interband optical spectra of InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots (SAD) are investigated with a three-dimensional eight-band k.p technique involving strain and piezoelectric effect. We show that the separation between hole states contributes to a significant fraction of the interband transition energy, thereby invalidating the two-dimensional harmonic oscillator model for the electronic structures of SADs. Moreover, aside from the threshold low energy peak which results from the strong ground state electron-hole transition, the major photoluminescence peaks observed experimentally are made of a significant number of equal-strength optical transitions. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.