Discrete states and carrier-phonon scattering in quantum dot population dynamics

The influence of the growth conditions of multilayer CdTe/ZnTe quantum dots (QDs) on Si substrate upon their carrier dynamics is studied using intensity integration and broadening photoluminescence. The unusual temperature dependence of the line broadening is explained using a model for interband transitions that involves a lowest discrete electronic state (1S(e)) with different discrete hole states (1S(3/2) and 2S(3/2)) and a 1P transition. These transitions are expected to play a critical role in both the thermally activated energy and the line broadening of the QDs. We also demonstrate that a thermally activated transition between two different states occurs with band low-temperature quenching, with values separated by 5.8–16 meV. The main nonradiative process is thermal escape assisted by carrier scattering via emission of longitudinal phonons through the hole states at high temperature, with an average energy of 19.3–20.2 meV.