Disorder-induced small-polaron formation
- Advanced Materials Physics Department, 1153 Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-0345 (United States)
- Ecole Polytechnique, Centre de Physique Theorique, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex (France)
Small-polaron formation is studied for a disordered multidimensional version of Holstein's molecular-crystal model (MCM). The MCM is appropriate for the study of polaronic effects in covalent semiconductors, where the electron-lattice interactions are short ranged. Our considerations focus on the adiabatic'' regime since it prevails in most semiconductors. In this domain the near-neighbor electronic-transfer energies are much greater than the characteristic phonon energy. We consider a situation in which the characteristic near-neighbor electronic-transfer energy [ital t][sub 0] and the small-polaron binding energy [ital E][sub [ital b]] are such that the stable carriers in a crystal would be quasifree rather than small polarons: [ital zt][sub 0][gt][ital E][sub [ital b]], where [ital z] is the number of nearest neighbors. We then address how disordering of the transfer energies affects small-polaron formation. In particular, disorder is taken to replace [ital t][sub 0] with a distribution of electronic-transfer energies. Small electronic-transfer energies about some sites by themselves stabilize small-polaron formations at these sites. Moreover, stabilization of a small polaron at a site is found to foster the stabilization of a small polaron at sites adjacent to it. This effect enhances the effectiveness with which disorder can trigger the collapse of a steady-state carrier from being quasifree to being a small polaron. That is, disorder reduces the strength of the electron-lattice coupling needed to stabilize global small-polaron formation. With the stabilization of small-polaronic carriers, the electronic transport changes from being that of quasifree carriers (that may occasionally be trapped at small-polaronic sites) to small-polaron hopping.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 7270690
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States) Vol. 49:20; ISSN PRBMDO; ISSN 0163-1829
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
665400 -- Quantum Physics Aspects of Condensed Matter-- (1992-)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BINDING ENERGY
COVALENCE
CRYSTALS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ENERGY
MATERIALS
MOLECULAR CRYSTALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLARONS
QUASI PARTICLES
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS