Inelastic light scattering from electronic excitations in quantum dots

A review is given of progress in our understanding of the electronic excitations in semiconductor quantum dots as studied by inelastic light scattering spectroscopy. Such experiments have revealed the characteristics of single particle, charge density, and spin density excitations of many-electron dots in zero and applied magnetic fields. Theoretical calculations, which reveal an electronic shell structure, are in general accord with the experimental results. Although the behaviour in a magnetic field is extremely complex, it is now feasible to study collective excitations from a range of strongly correlated ground states using this technique.