Excitonic insulator: dependence of energy gap width on carrier density

Abstract

On the basis of the Ashcroft empty core model potential, the equation for the constant of Coulomb interaction in the theory of excitonic insulator is modified. It is shown that in this case the dependence of the energy gap width on the charge carrier density obeys the Mott criterion in the limit of low densities. The conformity of the theory with some experimental data concerning metal–insulator phase transitions in doped semiconductors and transition metal compounds is discussed.