Electronic properties of zinc-blende GaN, AlN, and their alloys Ga1-xAlxN

The electronic properties of wide-energy gap zinc-blende structure GaN, A1N, and their alloys Ga(1-x)A1(x)N are investigated using the empirical pseudopotential method. Electron and hole effective mass parameters, hydrostatic and shear deformation potential constants of the valence band at Gamma and those of the conduction band at Gamma and X are obtained for GaN and AIN, respectively. The energies of Gamma, X, L conduction valleys of Ga(1-x)A1(x)N alloy versus Al fraction x are also calculated. The information will be useful for the design of lattice mismatched heterostructure optoelectronic devices based on these materials in the blue light range application. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.