Intrinsic interface states in InAs-AlSb heterostructures

Abstract

We examine the possibility of intrinsic interface states bound to the plane of In-Sb chemical bonds at InAs/AlSb interfaces. Careful parameterization of the bulk materials in the frame of the extended basis spds^* tight-binding model and recent progress in predictions of band offsets severely limit the span of tight-binding parameters describing this system. We find that a heavy-hole like interface state bound to the plane of In-Sb bonds exists for a large range of values of the InSb/InAs band offset.