Electro-optical probing of envelope wavefunctions in GaAs/AlGaAs parabolic quantum well structures

Abstract We report on a systematic experimental and theoretical study of the interband electroabsorption in GaAs/AlGaAs parabolic quantum well structures. Investigating a sample with an appropriately designed well width, we are able to observe a complex interplay of various electro-optical effects. The obtained results can be interpreted in terms of probing the electric-field dependent overlaps between the harmonic oscillator type envelope wavefunctions of electrons and holes.