Phonons in Quantum-Dot Quantum Well

Phonon modes of AlAs/GaAs/AlAs and GaAs/AlAs/metal Pb quantum-dot quantum wells (QDQW's)with the whole scale up to 90 A are calculated by using valence force field model (VFFM) based on group theory.Their optical frequency spectra are divided into two nonoverlapping bands, the AMs-like band and the GaAs-like band,originated from and having frequency interval inside the bulk AlAs optical band and bulk GaAs optical band, respectively.The GaAs-LO (F)-like modes of QDQW's that have maximum bulk GaAs-LO (F) parentages in all modes covering the whole frequency region and all symmetries have always A1 symmetry. Its frequency is controllable by adjusting the structure parameters. In AlAs/GaAs/AlAs, it may be controlled to meet any designed frequency in GaAs-like band.The results on GaAs/AMs/metal Pb QDQW's show the same effect of reducing in interface optical phonons by using the metal/semiconductor interface revealed ever by macroscopic model. The frequency spectra in both GaAs-like and AlAs-like optical phonon bands are independent of the thickness of Pb shell as long as the thickness of Pb shell is no less than 5 A. Defects at metal/AlAs interface have significant influence to AMs-like optical modes but have only minor influence to GaAs-like optical modes. All these results are important for the studying of the e-ph interaction in QD structures.