Intersubband transitions in different structures of conduction-band quantum wells

The theoretical framework for conduction-band quantum well structures is presented and the energy band structure and the allowed wave functions are calculated. Then, by using the Fermi Golden Rule, transition rates between different subbands of quantum wells are described. The developed theory is applied to some GaAs-AlGaAs quantum wells and the results are physically interpreted. Finally, the possibility of creating the population inversion for the laser action in an asymmetric step quantum well is briefly studied.