THz/optical properties of semiconductor quantum wells

We outline an engineering approach to modeling the optical properties of semiconductor quantum wells which are driven by a growth-direction polarized electric field at frequency in the THz range. The approach is based on solving the Schroedinger equation for the electron-hole envelope wavefunction with inclusion of the excitonic effects. Unlike the usual case of a dc applied field when the optical response is a time-independent function, the presence of the THz field requires introduction of a response function with periodicity given by the THz period. Our focus is on the linear, with respect to the optical power, regime while the THz field can be strong and thus must be accounted nonperturbatively.