Intraband relaxation process in PbSe quantum dot studied by lattice relaxation method

Abstract

Within the frame of lattice relaxation model, several intraband relaxation processes between the three lowest excited states and ground state in a PbSe quantum dot are studied based on the electron-longitudinal optical phonon coupling via Fröhlich mechanism. We find that Huang-Rhys factors decrease with the radius of quantum dot increasing in different relaxation processes. More important is the fact that the obtained values of Huang-Rhys factors satisfy the experimental measurements in the strong coupling limit. These intraband relaxation processes follow the asymmetrical Gaussian distribution with respect to the radius, in which the probabilities with which these intraband relaxation transitions occur are different. Among these relaxation processes, two intraband transitions from the third excited state to ground state and to second excited states dominate the relaxation processes on a several nanometer scale of radius. Moreover, the temperature dependence for each of these relaxation processes can be modulated by the radius of quantum dot. These theoretical results are consistent with the experimental measurements and provide an important insight into the intraband relaxation in quantum dots in experiments.