Stabilization of electron-hole liquid in uniaxially strained germanium in a strong magnetic field

Abstract

Luminescence spectra of uniaxially and uniformly strained high-purity germanium crystals at liquid-helium temperatures in a magnetic field of up to 14 T have been investigated. In strongly strained Ge crystals, a new line has been detected on the low-energy side of the excitonline in magnetic fields higher than 4 T. Studies of this line’s characteristics as functions of pressure, temperature, and magnetic field have led us to conclude that its presence is due to recombination of electron-hole pairs in an electron-hole liquid. The experimental data suggest that the metallic electron-hole liquid is stabilized in a strong magnetic field. By approximating the shape of the newly detected line using the model of metallic electron-hole liquid, we have obtained the electron-hole liquid density n EHL(B) and Fermi energies E Fe,h of electrons and holes. The liquid binding energy o as a function of magnetic field has been estimated.