STABILIZATION OF ELECTRON-HOLE LIQUID IN UNIAXIALLY STRAINED GERMANIUM IN A STRONG MAGNETIC-FIELD

Luminescence spectra of uniaxially and uniformly strained high-purity germanium crystals at liquid-helium temperatures in a magnetic field o f up to 14 T have been investigated, In strongly strained Ge crystals, a new line has been detected on the low-energy side of the exciton li ne in magnetic fields higher than 4 T. Studies of this line's characte ristics as functions of pressure, temperature, and magnetic field have led us to conclude that its presence is due to recombination of elect ron-hole pairs in an electron-hole liquid. The experimental data sugge st that the metallic electron-hole liquid is stabilized in a strong ma gnetic field. By approximating the shape of the newly detected line us ing the model of metallic electron-hole liquid, we have obtained the e lectron-hole liquid density n(EHL)(B) and Fermi energies E-Fe,E-h of e lectrons and holes. The liquid binding energy phi as a function of mag netic held has been estimated. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7761(97)02109-4].