ELECTRON-TRANSPORT IN NON-PARABOLIC KANE BANDS

Linear and non-linear transport properties of carriers in non-paraboli c Kane bands are investigated using the two extended balance equations introduced by Magnus, Sala and De Meyer (MSD) and by Lei. Formally, t he MSD equations describe the motion of a single particle with fixed c harge and fixed mass, while the Lei equations describe the motion of a single particle having fixed charge but variable effective mass. In t he parabolic limit these two sets of equations are identical and reduc e to the original Lei-Ting balance equations. In the non-parabolic cas e, although the linear resistivities predicted by the Lei and MSD equa tions are nearly the same for weakly to medially non-parabolic systems , non-linear drift-velocity-field behaviour obtained from these two se ts of equations shows marked differences for medial and strong non-par abolicity. The reasons for these differences are- discussed.