Applicability of continuum absorption in semiconductor quantum wells to absolute absorption-strength standards

The absolute strength of two-dimensional continuum absorption in semiconductor quantum wells (QWs) was investigated for application to an absorption-strength standard. We presented an equation for the continuum-state absorbance in a QW, showing that the absorbance near the band edge is essentially described by a universal value proportional to the fine-structure constant with correction terms for band-mixing effects and Coulomb enhancement effects. By using k center dot p equations with the established band parameters, we calculated the absorbance with quantitative estimations of the correction terms in typical semiconductor QWs. The results indicate that the absorbance of the QW is applicable to an absorption-strength standard. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4737900]