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 (1Se) with different discrete hole states (1S3/2 and 2S3/2) 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.