Scattering Probabilities for Holes I. Deformation Potential and Ionized Impurity Scattering Mechanisms

Abstract

Abstract The integrated scattering probabilities per unit time for the hole‐deformation potential (acoustic and optical) scattering mechanism, and for the hole‐ionized impurity scattering mechanism have been evaluated for a typical two‐band ( E v1 and E v2 )valence band structure, spherical and parabolic. The wave functions of the two bands are mostly p‐like, the first (P 3/2 , M ±1/2 ), the second (P 3/2 , M ±3/2 ). The symmetry properties of the valence band wave functions are shown to introduce the following effects: (1) To scale down of about a factor two the transition rate for the acoustic and optical deformation potential scattering mechanisms with respect to the case in which an s‐like symmetry is assumed for the band wave functions. (2) To correct in a non‐trivial manner the transition rate for the ionized impurity scattering mechanism, leading to a decoupling effect of the two bands by increasing the hole energy. This decoupling effect opposes the otherwise strong coupling for the transitions from E v2 to E v1 found for the acoustic and optical deformation potential scattering mechanisms.