Optical selection rules and scattering processes in rocksalt wide band gap ZnO. Issue 2 (10th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kunert, H. W.; Govender, M.; Machatine, A. G. J.; Mwakikunga, B. W.; Niyongabo, P.
• Is Part Of: Physica status solidi. Volume 211:Issue 2(2014:Feb.)
• Page Start: 435
• Page End: 439
• Publication Date: 2014-02-10
• Subjects: Solid state physics -- Periodicals; Solids -- Industrial applications -- Periodicals; 530.41
• DOI: 10.1002/pssa.201300187
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1862-6300

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="pssa201300187-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p>At sufficiently high pressures, wurtzite structure zinc oxide (<italic>W</italic>‐ZnO) can be transformed to the cubic rocksalt (<italic>R</italic>‐ZnO) structure. The <italic>R</italic>‐ZnO exhibits semiconductor behavior with an indirect wide band gap of <alternatives><inline-graphic mimetype="image" xlink:href="ark:/27927/pgg4swd4rz0" xlink:type="simple" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" /><mml:math altimg="urn:x-wiley:18626300:media:pssa201300187:pssa201300187-math-0001" display="inline" overflow="scroll" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:msub><mml:mi>E</mml:mi><mml:mi mathvariant="normal">g</mml:mi></mml:msub><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>5.5</mml:mn><mml:mtext> </mml:mtext><mml:mtext>eV</mml:mtext></mml:mrow></mml:math></alternatives>. The maximum valence band is found far away from the center of the Brillouin zone (BZ) at high symmetry point <italic>L</italic> and line Σ, depending on the pressure. The unusual electronic band structure (EBS) of the <italic>R</italic>‐ZnO leads to several direct and indirect optical transitions which find applications in ultraviolet optoelectronic devices. We have investigated radiative and non‐radiative symmetry restricted selection rules, as well as inter‐ and intra‐valley scattering processes.</p> </sec> </abstract>