Intraband absorption in the Deng-Fan type quantum well under magnetic field and hydrostatic pressure: comparison with the Morse quantum well

Abstract This work explores how the magnetic field, hydrostatic pressure, and well dimensions affect the electronic and optical properties of a quantum well with a Deng-Fan molecular potential. The calculations were performed within the effective mass and parabolic band approximation frameworks. These investigations have involved analyzing the energy spectrum and determining both the linear and third-order nonlinear absorption coefficients. To solve the Schrödinger equation of the system, the diagonalization method was utilized by choosing orthonormal base functions. For the absorption coefficients, the standard density matrix formalism combined with the perturbation expansion method is used. Our calculations were extended to include the traditional Morse-type quantum well. It is observed that the peak positions of the total absorption coefficients associated with the (1–2) intraband transitions in the Morse quantum well are located at relatively low photon energies, which can be attributed to the weak geometric confinement of the potential. In contrast, for equivalent quantum well widths, the Deng–Fan potential yields larger transition energies and higher peak amplitudes. This enhancement arises from its stronger effective confinement and improved short-range behavior. Moreover, the Deng–Fan potential provides superior tunability of potential asymmetry, allowing more precise control over the electronic structure and optical response.