Optical near-field mapping of excitons and biexcitons in naturally occurring semiconductor quantum dots

We calculate the near-field optical spectra of excitons and biexcitons in semiconductor quantum dots naturally occurring at interface fluctuations in GaAs-based quantum wells, using a nonlocal description of the response function to a spatially modulated electromagnetic field. The relative intensity of the lowest, far-field forbidden excitonic states is predicted; the spatial extension of the ground biexciton state is found, in agreement with recently published experiments. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.