Linear and nonlinear optical properties of stepped InxGa1-xAs/GaAs quantum wells

Systematic studies of polaritons in single stepped quantum wells are performed, and the presence of forbidden transitions in optical spectra are taken as a fingerprint of nonhomogeneous indium concentration. The large intensities of such transitions for well thicknesses in the range of quasi-two-dimensional exciton behavior are pointed out. Finally, second harmonic generation excited at half gap is found to be enhanced with respect to the bulk contribution as suggested by the theory.