Strong configuration mixing due to dielectric confinement in semiconductor nanorods

Abstract

The interaction between electron-electron and electron-hole pairs in semiconductor nanorods embedded in dielectric media is investigated using a configuration-interaction method. Contrary to spherical quantum dots of similar volume, the dielectric confinement is shown to bring nanorods into a regime of strong configuration mixing. The wave functions are particularly sensitive to such mixing, which leads to qualitative changes in the electronic and optical properties of the rods