Acousto-optic effects of surface acoustic waves in semiconductor quantum   well structures
  We report on recent experiments investigating the modification of the inter-band optical response of a piezoelectric semiconductor quantum well structure under the influence of intense short period surface acoustic waves. Experimentally, we study the photoluminescence (PL) of an undoped strained InGaAs/GaAs quantum well on which surface acoustic waves are propagated in the GHz regime. We observe a pronounced influence on the PL, both in intensity as well as in energetic position: Above a critical acoustic power density and corresponding lateral piezoelectric field strength, we observe a quenching of the excitons resulting in a strong decrease of the PL intensity. Using two transducers in a cavity resonator geometry, we can create a standing surface acoustic wave and hence control the nature and efficiency of the acoustic transport of the photoexcited electrons and holes. 
C. Rocke, A. Wixforth, J.P. Kotthaus, H. Boehm, and G. Weimann