Energy level broadening due to size fluctuation in quantum dots

We propose a model to describe systematically size-fluctuation effects on the broadening of electron energy levels in spherical quantum dots. The fluctuation is simulated by assuming that the quantum dots have graded interfaces with variable position alpha and thickness W. The alpha-W interface space diagram shows unequivocally the strong influence of dot-size fluctuations on the confined electron states. Our results highlight that an estimation of the dot radius to be used in a sharp interface model needs detailed information on the actual location and width of the dot interface. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.