Excite-probe determination of the intersubband lifetime in wide GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells using a far-infrared free-electron laser

Abstract

A direct excite-probe semiconductor lifetime determination in the picosecond regime has been made for the first time in the far infrared. We have used an RF-linac-pumped free-electron laser to determine the relaxation rate associated with intersubband absorption in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells having a subband separation smaller than the optical phonon energy. The measurement yields a relaxation lifetime of 40+or-5 ps. This is compared with a variety of other results obtained with less direct techniques.