MODELING OF ELECTROABSORPTION IN SEMICONDUCTOR QUANTUM STRUCTURES WITHIN THE 8-BAND K-CENTER-DOT-P THEORY

We have incorporated electric fields into the eight-band k.p theory, w hich we have applied to heterostructures, in conjunction with the enve lope-function approximation. We use the method of Baraff and Gershoni to implement the electric-field effects in a computer program that cal culates the optical properties of direct-band-gap heterostructures in one, two, and three dimensions. Using this method, we calculate the in terband and intersubband electroabsorption of multiple quantum wells a s well as the interband electroabsorption in superlattices. We illustr ate the evolution of the Stark localization of the electron wave funct ion under the application of an external electric field in superlattic es. Comparison with experimental data, available in the literature, ex hibits very good agreement between theory and experiment, with respect to the spectral shape, the absolute magnitude, and the electric-field dependence of the absorption.