On the effective electron mass in strained layer superlattices of non-parabolic semiconductors under strong magnetic quantization

Abstract

Abstract An attempt is made to study the effective electron mass in strained layer superlattices of non-parabolic semiconductors with graded structures under sirong magnetic quantization and to compare the same with the bulk specimens of the constituent materials, by formulating the appropriate magneto-dispersion laws. It is found, taking InAs/GaSb superlattice as an example, that the effective electron mass oscillates with the inverse quantizing magnetic field due to the Shubnikov-de Hass effect. The dependence of the effective mass on the magnetic quantum number in addition to Fermi energy is an intrinsic property of such semiconductor heterostructures. The stress makes the mass quantum number dependent in bulk specimens and even in the presence of broadening, the effective masses in superlattices exhibit significant oscillations with enhanced numerical values from that of the constituent semiconductors. Besides the effective electron masses also increase in an oscillatory way with increasing electron c...