Abstract: We experimentally and theoretically investigate the effect of quantum confinement on the acceptor binding energy in multiple quantum wells.A series of Be delta-doped GaAs/AlAs multiple quantum wells with the doping at the well center are grown by molecular beam epitaxy.The quantum width ranges from 3 to 20nm.The photoluminescence spectra are measured at 4, 20, 40, 80, and 120K, respectively.The two-hole transitions of the acceptor-bound exciton from the ground state, 1s3/2 (Γ6) , to the even-parity excited state, 2s3/2 (Γ6) , are clearly observed and the acceptor binding energy is measured.A variational calculation is presented to obtain the acceptor binding energy as a function of well width.The experimental results agree well with the theory.

Key words: effect of quantum confinement, shallow acceptor impurities, delta-doped, GaAs/AlAs multiple quantum wells, photoluminescence spectra