Ab initio density-functional theory is used to calculate interatomic forces
and the dynamical matrix of cubic GaN and GaAs with and without point defe
cts. The Green's function method and the Dyson equation is applied to obtai
n the change of the density of phonon states due to the defect, from which
we find not only the local vibrational modes and their isotope shifts of Ga
As: C outside the host-phonon bands, but also localized modes at the edges
of the phonon bands and resonances inside the phonon bands. Our results ind
icate that recently observed low-energy Raman peaks at a layer of cubic GaN
on a GaAs substrate can be interpreted as resonances inside the acoustical
phonon bands of GaN or GaAs. The energetic positions of these resonances a
re not characteristic for the defect but occur at specific energies of the
density of the host-phonon states. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All right
s reserved.