Transfer of coherence properties between exciton and continuum transitions in semiconductor quantum wells

Summary form only given. Coherent dynamics in semiconductors can be strongly affected by interaction between energetically degenerate interband transitions. In this paper, we demonstrate for the first time to our knowledge that this strong interaction can be used to transfer the coherence properties of discrete excitons to continuum transitions and vice versa. This transfer can generate coherent radiation from the continuum, which is absent otherwise. Our results can be understood in a model that describes the strongly interacting exciton and continuum transitions as a multitude of excited states coupled to a common ground state. The transfer of coherence properties should be observable in any multilevel system with a common ground state.