  A new, exact method for calculating excitonic absorption in superlattices is
described. It is used to obtain high resolution spectra showing the saddle
point exciton feature near the top of the miniband. The evolution of this
feature is followed through a series of structures with increasing miniband
width. The Stark ladder of peaks produced by an axial electric field is
investigated, and it is shown that for weak fields the line shapes are strongly
modified by coupling to continuum states, taking the form of Fano resonances.
The calculated spectra, when suitably broadened, are found to be in good
agreement with experimental results.
