Abstract: An overview is given of our investigation of the energy levels and of the correlation functions of the negatively and positively charged excitons (also called trions) in quantum wells in the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field, A detailed comparison is made with available experimental data in III-V and II-VI semiconductor quantum wells. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: We report single-crystal X-ray diffuse scattering measurements on C-60.C8H8 fullerene-cubane showing that the C-60 molecules are orientationally disordered at 300 and 150K and get ordered at low temperatures. Monte Carlo simulations provide further insight in the orientational behavior of both C-60 and C8H8 molecules; low-temperature molecular orientations are predicted.

Abstract: We investigate the optimal orientations and positions of tubular fullerene molecules C-70, C-80 and C-90 encapsulated in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). We find that increasing the tube radius leads to the following succession of energetically stable regimes: 1) lying molecules positioned on the tube's long axis, 2) tilted molecules on the tube's long axis and 3) lying molecules shifted away from the tube's long axis. In the case of C-70 and C-80 molecules, standing on-axis configurations also occur. Our findings are relevant for the possible application of molecular-orientation-dependent electronic properties of fullerene nanopeapods.

Abstract: Cyclotron resonance (CR) of the electrons accumulated at sheets with heavy Si doping in InSb were observed using far infrared radiation. The angular dependence of the CR follows closely the 1/cos theta behaviour with some small deviations at high angles attributed to coupling between subbands. From the effective mass of the lowest subband, which is found to be 0.027m(o), the bottom of the lowest subband was determined to lie 125 meV below the Fermi level.

Abstract: We investigate the formation of quantum confined structures on the surface of a liquid helium film suspended on a nanostructured substrate. We show theoretically that, by nanostructuring the substrate, it is possible to change the geometry of the liquid helium surface, opening the possibility of designing and controlling the formation of valleys with different shapes. By applying an external electric field perpendicular to the substrate plane, surface electrons can be trapped into these valleys, as in a quantum dot. We investigate how the external parameters, such as the electric field strength and the height of the liquid helium bath, can be tuned to control the energy spectrum of the trapped surface electrons.

Abstract: The exciton states in a strained (In,Ga)As/GaAs nanocup are theoretically determined. We explore how the nanocup bottom thickness (t) affects the magnetic field dependence of the exciton energy. Strain distribution is computed by the continuum mechanical model under the approximation of isotropic elasticity. The exciton wave functions are expanded into products of the electron and hole envelope functions. For small t, the exciton ground state has zero orbital momentum and exhibits small oscillations of the second derivative when the magnetic field increases. When t approaches the value of the cup height, however, the exciton levels exhibit angular momentum transitions, whose behavior is similar to that for type-II quantum dots. Small oscillations of the oscillator strength for exciton recombination are found when the magnetic field increases. An increase in thickness of the nanocup bottom has only a small effect on those oscillations for the optically active exciton states, but the exciton ground state becomes dark when the magnetic field increases. Hence, the results of our calculations show that an increase in thickness of the nanocup bottom transforms the exciton ground energy level dependence on magnetic field from the one characteristic of type-I rings to the one characteristic of type-II dots.