We demonstrate the existence of a breather mode in the self-consistent electron dynamics of a semiconductor quantum well. A nonperturbative variational method based on quantum hydrodynamics is used to determine the salient features of the electron breather mode. Numerical simulations of the time-dependent Wigner-Poisson or Hartree equations are shown to be in excellent agreement with our analytical results. For asymmetric quantum wells, a signature of the breather mode is observed in the dipole response, which can be detected by standard optical means.

• Received 22 July 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.80.073301