  Electron-hole correlation in quantum-dot quantum wells (QDQW's) is
investigated by incorporating Coulomb and exchange interactions into an
empirical tight-binding model. Sufficient electron and hole single-particle
states close to the band edge are included in the configuration to achieve
convergence of the first spin-singlet and triplet excitonic energies within a
few meV. Coulomb shifts of about 100 meV and exchange splittings of about 1 meV
are found for CdS/HgS/CdS QDQW's (4.7 nm CdS core diameter, 0.3 nm HgS well
width and 0.3 nm to 1.5 nm CdS clad thickness) which have been characterized
experimentally by Weller and co-workers [ D. Schooss, A. Mews, A. Eychmuller,
H. Weller, Phys. Rev. B, 49, 17072 (1994)]. The optical excitonic gaps
calculated for those QDQW's are in good agreement with the experiment.

Materials Science