Theory of the Optical Response of Singleand Coupled Semiconductor Quantum Dots

Due to their quasi-zero-dimensional structure, quantum dots show optical properties which are different from those of nanostructures with spatial confinement in less than three dimensions. In this chapter, the theory of both the linear optical properties and nonlinear dynamics of semiconductor quan- tum dots is discussed. The main focus is on the experimentally accessible quantities such as absorption/luminescence and pump-probe spectra. The results are calculated for single and coupled quantum dots (Förster coupling) as well as quantum dot ensembles. The focus is on obtaining a microscopic understanding of the interactions of optically excited quantum dot electrons with the surrounding crystal vibrations (electron–phonon coupling). The discussed interactions are important for applications in, e.g., quantum information processing and laser devices.