Electronic band gaps of semiconductors as influenced by their isotopic composition

Abstract

The present paper focuses on the renormalization effects of the band gaps in the electronic band structure of the elemental semiconductors traced to zero-point vibrations. Electron-phonon interaction and volume changes (in combination with anharmonicity) are the underlying microscopic mechanisms, both dependent on M-1/2, M being the average isotopic mass. Thus isotopically controlled crystals offer an extraordinary opportunity to test the theoretical predictions with a variety of spectroscopic techniques. The paper discusses the theoretical predictions and their experimental verifications, exploiting derivative and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Illustrative examples on Si and Ge, drawn from the investigations of the authors, are presented. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Published in:

Solid State Communications 133,11 (2005) 709-714;

Keywords

electron-phonon interactions;; electronic band structure;; light absorption and reflection;; luminescence;; indirect energy-gap;; cyclotron resonance;; enriched silicon;; lattice-constant;; germanium;; ge;; dependence;; absorption;; crystals;; diamond

Date of Version

January 2005

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