| dc.description |
We have extended the average-bond-energy method to study the strained-heterojunction band offset. Through a detailed study of the effect of hydrostatic and uniaxial strains on the energy of the average valence band edge E<sub>v.av</sub> relative to the average bond energy, we find that E<sub>v.av</sub> remains basically unchanged under different strain conditions, and that the deformation potential a<sub>v.av</sub> corresponding to E<sub>v.av</sub> is much smaller than the a<sub>v</sub> for other analogous methods. Thus, in the average-bond-energy method, the valence band offset ΔE<sub>v</sub> can be obtained neglecting a<sub>v.av</sub>. It is only necessary to calculate the valence band maximum energy relative to the average bond energy before the strain and to use the experimental values of the deformation potential b and spin-orbit splitting Δ<sub>0</sub> to determine the splitting value for the valence band. It is not necessary to calculate the band structures under various strain conditions. This simplified calculation method involves only a small calculational burden; therefore, it can conveniently be used to predict the strained-heterojunction band offset. |
