Quantum theory of the dispersion of the refractive index near the fundamental absorption edge in compound semiconductors

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/JQE.1983.1071860· OSTI ID:5747201

Jensen, B; Torabi, A

A calculation of the real part of the refractive index near the fundamental absorption edge is given, which is based on a quantum mechanical calculation of the complex dielectric constant using the quantum density matrix method. An analytical expression is obtained in terms of experimentally known quantities for a given semiconductor and compared with available experimental data. The band structure of the Kane theory, which applies to direct gap III-V and II-VI compounds, is assumed. The expression obtained is a function of the bandgap energy, the effective electron and heavy hole masses at the bandedge, the spin orbit splitting energy, the carrier concentration for n-type or p-type materials, the temperature, and the frequency of the incident radiation. The temperature dependence occurs through the dependence of the bandgap energy and the effective mass on temperature for degenerate n-type or p-type materials, and there is an additional temperature-dependent factor for nondegenerate materials. The expression also involves the value of n at the absorption edge which is not accessible to measurement. However, an equation for n at the absorption edge can be found in terms of experimentally obtainable values of n near the absorption edge and solved to give the desired quantity.

• Research Organization: Dept of Physics Boston University, Boston, MA 02215
• OSTI ID: 5747201
• Journal Information: IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States), Journal Name: IEEE J. Quant. Electron.; (United States) Vol. 19:3; ISSN IEJQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420800* -- Engineering-- Electronic Circuits & Devices-- (-1989)
645400 -- High Energy Physics-- Field Theory
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ABSORPTION
ACCURACY
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
BAND THEORY
CARRIERS
DATA
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FERMIONS
FIELD THEORIES
FREQUENCY DEPENDENCE
INFORMATION
LEPTONS
MASS
MATERIALS
MEASURING METHODS
NUMERICAL DATA
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PARTICLE PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
RADIATIONS
REFRACTION
REFRACTIVITY
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SPIN
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
THEORETICAL DATA