Bulk Inversion Asymmetry effects on the band structure of zincblende heterostructures in an 8-band Effective Mass Approximation model

Abstract

We have developed an 8-band Effective Mass Approximation model that describes the zero field spin splitting in the band structure of zincblende heterostructures due to bulk inversion asymmetry (BIA). We have verified that our finite difference Hamiltonian transforms in almost all situations according to the true $D_{2d}$ or $C_{2v}$ symmetry of [001] heterostructures. This makes it a computationally efficient tool for the accurate description of the band structure of heterostructures for spintronics. We first compute the band structure for an AlSb/GaSb/AlSb quantum well (QW), which presents only BIA, and delineate its effects. We then use our model to find the band structure of an AlSb/InAs/GaSb/AlSb QW and the relative contribution of structural and bulk inversion asymmetry to the spin splitting. We clarify statements about the importance of these contributions and conclude that, even for our small gap QW, BIA needs to be taken into account for the proper description of the band structure.