Resonance energy transfer from a semiconductor quantum dot to an organic matrix

A study is made of the Forster energy transfer from an excited semiconductor quantum dot to an organic material surrounding the dot. A quantum-mechanical microscopic description of a Wannier-Mott exciton in a quantum dot is employed together with a macroscopic description of the organic medium. The calculations show that for II-VI semiconductors such transfer can occur in a time of the order of tens of picoseconds, which is much shorter than the lifetime of an excitation in a quantum dot in the absence of transfer. Therefore, just as for quantum wells, the energy transfer mechanism considered can be a quite efficient means for pumping organic sources of radiation. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics.