Coherent exciton-photon dynamics in single, double, and quintuple quantum wells.

We have studied experimentally the coherent exciton-photon dynamics in a single, a double, and a quintuple quantum well structure under resonant excitation. In pump and probe experiments we observe an initial fast decay of the exciton population. This initial decay depends on the number of quantum wells. The population decay is accompanied by a coherent light emission induced by the first-order polarization, the intensity of which increases quadratically with the quantum well number. Interference effects and electromagnetic coupling effects between polarizations located in distinct quantum wells probably play a crucial role in the superlinear coherent emission process