The polaronic nature of intraband relaxation in InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots

Polaron relaxation processes in a series of n-type InAs quantum dots (QDS) have been investigated using energy-dependent far-infrared pump–probe spectroscopy. For energies up to ∼53 meV, polarons decay to 2 longitudinal acoustic phonons; above this energy additional decay channels open resulting in a reduction of the decay time. Inter-state transfer has been observed between closely spaced p-like excited states, with the measured transfer times in good agreement with calculations assuming acoustic phonon assisted transfer. Finally, for QDs containing ⩾2 electrons we observe evidence of a spin-flip process resulting in long (∼700 ps) relaxation times.