Band Structure and Electron Transport of GaAs

Abstract

Existing experimental data on GaAs are reviewed and analyzed to yield the band structure in the vicinity of the band edges as well as the parameters characterizing the bands summarized in Fig. 1 of this paper. On the basis of presently existing experimental evidence, chiefly the behavior of the optical band gap in Ga(As, P) alloys and the deduced pressure shift and density of states effective mass, it is thought likely that the subsidiary conduction band minima lie along [100] directions. Analytical expressions including nonparabolic effects are given for the energy and density of states of the [000] conduction band and used to obtain a better value of the effective mass from optical reflectivity data. The experimentally observed structure in the Hall effect in $n$-type material at elevated temperatures is shown to result from excitation of carriers into the subsidiary conduction band. Changes of resistivity with pressure are explained on the basis of an increase of the [000] effective mass at low pressures and the transfer of carriers to the subsidiary minima at higher pressures. The scattering mechanisms, which are important in connection with transport phenomena, are shown to be polar lattice scattering and charged impurity scattering in the highest mobility samples. The transport calculations leading to the mobility and thermoelectric power as a function of temperature and impurity concentrations are performed using variational techniques, and shown to agree well with experiment. The apparently low mobility in the subsidiary minima is attributed at least in part to the large effective mass and relatively small anisotropy ratio. An estimate shows scattering between the two conduction bands probably to be unimportant.