Surface and gap intrinsic localized modes in one-dimensional III-V semiconductors

A theoretical investigation has been made of intrinsic localized vibrationa l modes in an anharmonic one-dimensional diatomic lattice with alternating force constants coupling successive neighbours. This system simulates a row of atoms in the (1 1 1) direction of a III-V semiconductor. Specific calcu lations have been carried out for GaN, because it has a large gap between a coustic and optical branches. We study small-amplitude atom vibrations (up to 0.4 Angstrom), accessible to experimental detection, in order to legitim ize the expansion of the full potential to include cubic and quartic terms. We consider then nearest-neighbour interactions through harmonic as well a s cubic and quartic anharmonic interactions to study the interplay between cubic and quartic terms in the frequencies of the localized modes. The forc e constants were determined empirically by fitting the longitudinal branche s in the Gamma-L direction of GaN. We have studied both gap and surface int rinsic localized modes. Zinc-blende-structure chains are of particular inte rest, because the lack of inversion symmetry prevents the classification of the modes as even or odd parity. Nevertheless, modes were found that close ly resemble the even- or odd-parity modes of an NaCl-structure chain. Their frequencies lie inside the gap for GaN. The absence of inversion symmetry permits a variety of surface modes to exist, depending on whether the bond at the surface is strong or weak and the atom at the surface is light or he avy. All surface mode frequencies for GaN lie inside the gap as found with the use of the full potential.