Strain-Split Energy Bands in Semiconductors: Ge

Abstract

We have used the pseudopotential method to compute the energy band structure of a uniaxially strained germanium crystal. The bands are determined at the important symmetry points and lines in the Brillouin zone. In order to carry out the study, the strain Hamiltonian is written by means of the Pikus-Bir transformation. The spin-orbit interaction is treated on the same footing as the strain Hamiltonian. We have made detailed comparisons with experiment. The results appear to be excellent, and we reproduce the observed deformation potentials and the optical splittings.