Effect of spin-orbit coupling on the structure of the electron ground state in silicon nanocrystals

The effect of spin-orbit interaction on the structure of the ground state in the conduction band of spherical silicon nanocrystals is theoretically studied using the envelope-function approximation and the k · p method. It is shown that the arising weak spin-orbit coupling of the conduction- and val...

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Published inSemiconductors (Woodbury, N.Y.) Vol. 47; no. 11; pp. 1508 - 1512
Main Authors Konakov, A. A., Kurova, N. V., Burdov, V. A.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Boston Springer US 01.11.2013
Springer
Subjects
2013
ANISOTROPY
APPROXIMATIONS
GROUND STATES
L-S COUPLING
Magnetic Materials
Magnetism
March
MATERIALS SCIENCE
NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
NANOSTRUCTURES
Nizhni Novgorod
Physics
Physics and Astronomy
SILICON
SPIN ORIENTATION
Symposium “Nanophysics and Nanoelectronics”
WAVE FUNCTIONS
Conduction Band
Quantum Confinement Effect
Envelope Function
Orbit Coupling
Valence Band
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Summary:The effect of spin-orbit interaction on the structure of the ground state in the conduction band of spherical silicon nanocrystals is theoretically studied using the envelope-function approximation and the k · p method. It is shown that the arising weak spin-orbit coupling of the conduction- and valence bands leads to specific asymmetric hybridization of the s - and p -type envelope functions with opposite spin orientations caused by the anisotropy of spin mixing in the silicon conduction band. As a result, the wave functions of the ground-state transform which is accompanied by an insignificant decrease in its energy. In this case, the spin-mixing parameter in nanocrystals depends strongly on their size due to the quantum-confinement effect.
ISSN:1063-7826
1090-6479
DOI:10.1134/S1063782613110110