Zn1−xMgxSe Samples and a ZnSe/Zn0.93Mg0.07Se Quantum Well under Pressure: Optical Absorption and Photoluminescence

We present optical measurements of freestanding thin Zn1−xMgxSe films and of a ZnSe/Zn0.93Mg0.07Se single quantum well (SQW) under hydrostatic pressure applied by a diamond anvil cell. For the Zn1−xMgxSe compounds the pressure shift of the fundamental gap was determined from absorption measurements at room temperature for X ⩽ 0.37. A hydrostatic deformation potential a(x) = −4.85 + 0.67x eV is derived. The transition pressures Ptr to high pressure phases were determined by visual observation. The pressure dependent absorption and photoluminescence of the ZnSe SQW was investigated at 2 K. The energy shift of two SQW-related transitions was recorded and is reproduced by a simple theoretical model. LO-phonon replica were visible in photoluminescence at the sharp 11hh transition.