  We investigate theoretically acoustic phonon induced decoherence in quantum
dots. We calculate the dephasing of fundamental (interband or intraband)
optical transitions due to real and virtual transitions with higher energy
levels. Up to two acoustic phonon processes (absorption and/or emission) are
taken into account simultaneously in a non-perturbative manner. An analytic
expression of acoustic phonon induced broadening is given as a function of the
electron-phonon matrix elements and is physically interpreted. The theory is
applied to the dephasing of intersublevel transitions in self-assembled quantum
dots.
