The inertial-mass scale for free-charge-carriers in semiconductor heterostructures

摘要

Generalized magnetooptic Mueller matrix ellipsometry at far-infrared wavelengths is presented for optical determination of free-charge-carrier properties in complex-layered semiconductor heterostructures. Upon model analysis of the ellipsometry data we obtain access to the free-charge-carrier density, inertial ("effective") mass, and mobility parameters of the individual material constituents, and within heterostructures composed of multiple layers. Our approach is demonstrated exemplarily for BInGaAs, a material of contemporary interest for multiple-junction solar cell structures, where a dramatic increase of the -point conduction band effective mass is reported.