Analytic model for the valence-band structure of a strained quantum well

Bradley A. Foreman
Phys. Rev. B 49, 1757 – Published 15 January 1994
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Abstract

An analytic model is proposed for the valence-subband structure in a compressively strained quantum well which includes the effects of a finite barrier potential, valence-band anisotropy, and subband nonparabolicity. The solutions obtained for the zone-center effective mass and nonparabolicity factor are valid for both compressive and tensile strain, but the model gives a good approximation to the true band structure only in the case of compressive strain, where the nonparabolicity effects are relatively weak. For moderate compressive strain, the model provides a very fast, accurate representation of the subband structure within a few kT of the valence-band edge, which will be very useful in optoelectronic device design and simulation. The most important limitation to the model is its neglect of the strain-induced coupling to the spin-orbit split-off band, which becomes significant for large strain. Calculations performed on InxGa1xAs/GaAs quantum wells predict that both the effective mass and nonparabolicity decrease with increasing quantum-well width or compressive strain.

  • Received 21 June 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.49.1757

©1994 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Bradley A. Foreman

  • School of Electrical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-5401

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Issue

Vol. 49, Iss. 3 — 15 January 1994

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