We have calculated the electronic structure of spherical PbS, PbSe, and PbT
e quantum dots using a four-band envelope-function formalism that accounts
for band anisotropy. By comparing our results with an analytical calculatio
n that assumes a spherical approximation of the (k) over right arrow.(p) ov
er right arrow Hamiltonian, we show that the effects of band anisotropy are
more pronounced for the excited states and increase with the confinement.
We also show how the same technique can be applied to ellipsoidal quantum d
ots.