Pressure dependence of the exciton absorption and the electronic subband structure of a Ga0.47In0.53As/Al0.48In0.52As multiple-quantum-well system

We have measured the optical absorption of a Ga0.47In0.53As/Al0.48In0.52As multiple quantum well at 10 K for pressures up to 7 GPa. The energies of optical transitions between heavy- and light-hole subbands and electron levels of the wells show a blueshift with pressure similar to the bulk lowest direct band gap. We observe a decrease with pressure of the energy splitting between heavy- and light-hole subbands with the same quantum number n. From the analysis of the absorption line shape, we have obtained the pressure dependences of exciton binding energies, oscillator strengths, and linewidths. These results are interpreted in terms of subband-structure calculations within the envelope-function approximation.