Three-dimensionally confined excitons and biexcitons in submonolayer-CdSe/ZnSe superlattices

We report on structural and optical investigations of submonolayer-CdSe/ZnSe superlattices with varying thicknesses of the ZnSe spacer layers. High-resolution electron microscopy images demonstrate the formation of two-dimensional nanoscale CdSe islands for submonolayer-CdSe depositions. The vertical island arrangement is anti-correlated for spacer layer thicknesses exceeding 30Å, while predominantly vertically correlated growth occurs for thinner spacers. The different vertical ordering of the CdSe islands results in two clearly distinguishable lines in photoluminescence and optical reflectance spectra, which are attributed to excitons localized in quantum dots (QDs) formed by vertically coupled and uncoupled (Cd,Zn)Se islands, respectively. δ-like emission of single QDs is demonstrated and the different carrier localization in uncoupled and coupled QDs is reflected in the polarization of the edge emission. Stimulated emission and resonant waveguiding effects are observed for both states. At the highest excitation densities, we observe saturation of the stimulated emission in edge geometry attributed to saturation of localized states.