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Title: Infrared absorption spectrum of free carriers in polar semiconductors. Progress report, July 1, 1979-June 30, 1980

Abstract

The Drude Zener theory of the absorption of high frequency radiation by free carriers (inverse bremsstrahlung) has been extended into the quantum region (h-bar omega > k/sub 0/T) in terms of a frequency dependent relaxation time which predicts the dc mobility in the quasiclassical limit. Numerical calculations of the frequency and concentration dependent electron scattering rate have been completed for InP, InAs, Ga/sub 0/ /sub 47/In/sub 0/ /sub 53/As, and previous results for GaAs extended to high carrier concentrations. When starting from a quantum statistical theory, the fact that n/sub q/oh-bar omega ..-->.. k/sub 0/T at low frequencies can be used to prevent the divergence of the coulomb scattering rate without inclusion of a screening radius. A result containing no adjustable parameters is found which predicts a mobility for uncompensated samples that decreases strongly at high concentrations. This has been observed in GaAs, and is not accounted for by the usual dc calculation which assumes h-bar omega = 0 and a screening parameter. Calculated results for GaAs are in good agreement with experimental measurements of the mobility which are found to be independent of a wide variety of conditions of material preparation. This indicates that disagreement with previous theoretical calculationsmore » was not due to compensation. Calculations for ZnSe and further investigation of the modification of the optical constants by the presence of an intense laser field and by a static magnetic field are currently planned.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Boston Univ., MA (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
5285374
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/10444-1
TRN: 80-010858
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-79ER10444
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; 75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; GALLIUM ARSENIDES; ELECTRON DIFFRACTION; INDIUM ARSENIDES; INDIUM PHOSPHIDES; ABSORPTION SPECTRA; ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY; ENERGY TRANSFER; JUNCTION DIODES; LASER RADIATION; QUANTUM MECHANICS; ARSENIC COMPOUNDS; ARSENIDES; COHERENT SCATTERING; DIFFRACTION; ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; GALLIUM COMPOUNDS; INDIUM COMPOUNDS; MECHANICS; PHOSPHIDES; PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; PNICTIDES; RADIATIONS; SCATTERING; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES; SPECTRA; 640301* - Atomic, Molecular & Chemical Physics- Beams & their Reactions; 656000 - Condensed Matter Physics

Citation Formats

Jensen, B. Infrared absorption spectrum of free carriers in polar semiconductors. Progress report, July 1, 1979-June 30, 1980. United States: N. p., 1980. Web. doi:10.2172/5285374.
Jensen, B. Infrared absorption spectrum of free carriers in polar semiconductors. Progress report, July 1, 1979-June 30, 1980. United States. doi:10.2172/5285374.
Jensen, B. Fri . "Infrared absorption spectrum of free carriers in polar semiconductors. Progress report, July 1, 1979-June 30, 1980". United States. doi:10.2172/5285374. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5285374.
@article{osti_5285374,
title = {Infrared absorption spectrum of free carriers in polar semiconductors. Progress report, July 1, 1979-June 30, 1980},
author = {Jensen, B.},
abstractNote = {The Drude Zener theory of the absorption of high frequency radiation by free carriers (inverse bremsstrahlung) has been extended into the quantum region (h-bar omega > k/sub 0/T) in terms of a frequency dependent relaxation time which predicts the dc mobility in the quasiclassical limit. Numerical calculations of the frequency and concentration dependent electron scattering rate have been completed for InP, InAs, Ga/sub 0/ /sub 47/In/sub 0/ /sub 53/As, and previous results for GaAs extended to high carrier concentrations. When starting from a quantum statistical theory, the fact that n/sub q/oh-bar omega ..-->.. k/sub 0/T at low frequencies can be used to prevent the divergence of the coulomb scattering rate without inclusion of a screening radius. A result containing no adjustable parameters is found which predicts a mobility for uncompensated samples that decreases strongly at high concentrations. This has been observed in GaAs, and is not accounted for by the usual dc calculation which assumes h-bar omega = 0 and a screening parameter. Calculated results for GaAs are in good agreement with experimental measurements of the mobility which are found to be independent of a wide variety of conditions of material preparation. This indicates that disagreement with previous theoretical calculations was not due to compensation. Calculations for ZnSe and further investigation of the modification of the optical constants by the presence of an intense laser field and by a static magnetic field are currently planned.},
doi = {10.2172/5285374},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1980},
month = {Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1980}
}

Technical Report:

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  • The problem of multiphoton absorption and scattering by an electron in an intense radiation field has been treated by an extension of the theory of one photon free carrier absorption in polar semiconductors. The rate equation for m photon absorption, where m is a positive integer, is obtained from the equation of motion of the quantum density matrix. It is shown to be proportional to the Joule heating arising from the interaction of the corresponding Fourier components of the electron current and the electric field. The latter is, in turn, proportional to the m/sup th/ power of the radiation intensity.more » The wavefunctions appropriate to an electron in an intense radiation field (Houston functions) are used in the calculation of the relevant transition matrix elements. An expression for the average Joule heating per electron is found. Comparison with earlier treatments is given.« less
  • The high rate of change in integrated electronics, laser, and semiconductor device characteristics, generated by ongoing improvement in fabrication technology leading to smaller and smaller devices, has necessitated a reexamination of the foundations of transport theory. Of particular interest is the formulation of the necessary quantum extension of classical or quasi-classical theory in the limits of small length scales, high frequencies, and high field intensities. A fundamental mechanism by which optical materials fail under intense illumination, the problem of electron heating by multiphoton free carrier absorption or inverse bremsstrahlung in an intense radiation field, has been the primary topic ofmore » investigation during the preceding year. In addition, the effect on the real and imaginary parts of the complex refractive index, and hence on the reflectivity and transmission of a compound semiconductor, of quantum effects at high frequencies have been studied. The real and imaginary parts of the complex refractive index and the reflectivity have been calculated for samples of InP, GaAs, and InAs as functions of frequency and carrier concentration, in terms of a quantum extension of the Drude theory. A summary of results which have been presented in the literature in the preceding year is given.« less
  • An analytical expression for the real part of the refractive index n near the fundamental absorption edge has been calculated for a semiconductor in terms of experimentally known quantities. It is derived from a quantum-mechanical claculation of the complex dielectric constant which assumes the band structure of the Kane theory. The expression obtained is a function of band-gap energy, effective electron and heavy hole masses, the spin-orbit splitting energy, the lattice constant, and the carrier concentration for n-type or p-type materials. The refractive index at the absorption edge is found as a function of the material parameters above. This enablesmore » one to express theoretical results in terms of basic material parameters only, with no adjustable constants. The dispersion near the fundamental absorption edge which has been observed experimentally for a number of III-V and II-VI compounds is predicted and its calculation enabled. This is expected to have applications for designing in areas such as integrated optics, where the optical functions of light generation, guiding, coupling, modulation, and detection must be obtainable in a single semiconductor material and depend on a knowledge of the refractive index. Comparison of theory with available experimental data is given for a number of III-V and II-VI binary compounds. The extension to ternary and quaternary materials is discussed.« less
  • A quantum mechanical expression for the real part of the refractive index of a III-V, II-VI, or IV-VI binary, ternary, or quaternary semiconductor has been derived which predicts the dispersion observed near the fundamental absorption edge. The calculation is made in terms of measurable experimental quantities only, with no adjustable parameters, using the Kane theory of the band structure. Results have been calculated for a wide variety of materials, and comparison made with available experimental data. An expression for the nonlinear intensity dependent refractive index is given. An extension of the Drude theory has been made which predicts the quantummore » result for the complex dielectric constant at high frequencies and reduces to the usual quasiclassical result in the far infrared. The results of this research are expected to find application in implementation of optical processing systems in the infrared and in the design of integrated circuits, systems, and devices based on the III-V, II-VI or IV-VI compounds. 20 references.« less
  • In a magnetic field tilted with respect to the surface of Si, Beinvogl and Koch observed combined resonance transitions, resulting from a coupling of Landau levels and subband states, in an accumulation layer on n-type (100) Si. Because of some unexplained features in the observations, we have analyzed what one should expect on theoretical grounds. As a result of both analytic and numerical calculations, it is concluded that there are still unexplained discrepancies between theory and experiment. The absorption of radiation in a magnetoplasma was studied and the results were applied to the laser fusion process.