Abstract
The wave functions of the states in a valence band are analyzed based on an 18-band kp model. It is found that the conventionally used approximation of energy-independent effective masses for bands of light and heavy holes is valid only near the valence-band top. The matching conditions for the envelope functions of holes at GaAs/AlAs(001) interfaces are considered both with and without an allowance being made for the spin-orbit interaction of energies in the vicinity of the valence-band top. These conditions are obtained based on a simplification of the description of electronic states provided by the pseudopotential method. It is shown that light and heavy holes are mixed at a heterointerface. The obtained matching conditions are completely consistent with the symmetry of the problem. In these conditions, envelope functions are mixed with their normal derivatives and the derivatives are mixed with the functions. The parameters describing the mixing of light and heavy holes at the heterointerface are rather small, which is consistent with recent calculations by other authors but contradicts earlier assumptions and estimates.
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