Intersubband absorption line broadening in semiconductor quantum wells: Nonparabolicity contribution

Abstract

The influence of the conduction-band nonparabolicity on the intersubband absorption line broadening in GaAs/${\mathrm{Al}}_{\mathit{x}}$ ${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\mathrm{-}\mathit{x}}$As quantum wells is discussed in the framework of an empirical two-band model. In contrast with earlier papers, the influence of the depolarization effect on the absorption line shape is taken into account. The obtained results indicate that the contribution to the line broadening resulting from the nonparabolicity is, to a large extent, compensated for by the depolarization effect.