Exciton Bound to 1D Intersection of Stacking Fault Plane with a ZnSe Quantum Well

International audienceEmerging part of condensed matter science, which deals with the systems of extreme two-dimensionality, renews the interest in natural 2D objects such as planar stacking faults (SFs) in semiconductor crystals. We report on the observation of an excitonic state localized at the 1D intersection of the SF with a high quality ZnSe quantum well (QW). The micro-photoluminescence measurements are performed in a specimen used for preceding transmission electron microscopy studies. We demonstrate that the observed narrow lines are polarized along SFs and their linewidths depend on the SFs length. For short SFs, the linewidth can be as low as 0.15 meV. Using the combination of the effective mass approach and the density functional theory calculations we show that the exciton localization is due to the intrinsic electric field inside the SF, which also leads to a spatial separation of electron and hole in the exciton. The 1D intersection of perfect natural and artificial 2D objects can serve as a promising playground for the study of subtle excitonic effects in single defects