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Electronic properties of band-inverted heterojunctions: supersymmetry in narrow-gap

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1990 Semicond. Sci. Technol. 5 S204

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Sernicond. Sci. Technol. 5 (1990) S2044209. Printed in the UK

INVITED PAPER

Electronic properties of band-inverted

heterojunctions: supersymmetry in
narrow-gap semiconductors

0 A Pankratov
P N Lebedev Physical Institute, USSR Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospect 53,
117924 Moscow, USSR

Received in accepted form 18 September 1989

Abstract. Heterojunctions between semiconductors with mutually inverted bands

contain massless spin-non-degenerate interface electron states independent of
their profile. The universality of these states is due to the specific symmetry (the
supersymmetry) of the effective Hamiltonian. The giant Landau splitting of
interface states and selection rules for optical transitions in a magnetic field are
predicted. Other types of ' supersymmetric' heterostructures-ferroelectric and
antiferromagnetic domain walls-also possess interface states with unique
properties.

1. Introduction For a symmetric band-inverted heterojunction with

In the classical narrow-gap semiconducting compounds
Pb, -,Sn,Te and Hg, -,Cd,Te the energy levels which
form thefundamentalgapinvertundercompositional
variation [l]. As a result, heterojunctions between mater-
ials with mutually inverted energy bands can be created
by spatial variation of the composition.
Theschematicenergydiagram for such aband-
inverted junction is shown in figure 1. The labels L + and
L - mark the even and odd bands in bulk Pb,-,Sn,Te
(Se). Thefundamentalgap, defined as = L" - L + ,
has opposite signs on different sides of the junction. In
Hgl -,Cd,Te the gap is formed by r6 and T8 states and
band inversion concerns the electron and light-hole
bands.
Band-inverted
superlattices of alternating
CdTe-HgTe and PbTe-SnTe layers have already been
grown [ 2 , 31. They cannot be classified as either type I or
type I1 superlattices, because in these structures the band
edges intersect periodically.
As is shown below, the basic feature of aband-
inverted heterojunction, which determines the specificity
of corresponding superlattices, is the presence of spin-
non-degenerateelectron interface states with alinear
dispersion law. We examinedthegeneral case of a
smooth heterojunction. This is important in two respects.
First, the specific interface states are independent of the
band diagram profile and are thus stable with respect to
compositionfluctuations. Secondly, thesmoothness of
the junction guarantees the applicability of an envelope
function approximation (EFA).
aligned gap centres of both materials in contact (of
Pb, -,Sn,Te type), non-degenerate interface states have
been predicted [4]. In a later paper the asymmetric band-
invertedjunctionas well as anabruptHgTe-CdTe
contact were considered [S]. These states were also found
in a numerical calculation of the energy spectrum for the
HgTe-CdTesuperlattice,butonly for zeroin-plane
momentum [S]. TheabruptHgTe-CdTecontact was
considered by Lin-Liu andSham [7], who used the
Luttinger Hamiltonian. However, a correct analysis re-
quires the three-band Kane Hamiltonian. This has been
done by Cade [S], who obtained a conic spectrumof the
boundary states. Analytical treatment [S] shows, how-
ever, that Cade lost two branches of the interface spec-
trum which overlap allowed bulk bands.
Mid-gap states
in
band-invertedheterojunctions
made from IV-VI semiconductors were considered inde-
pendently by Korenman and Drew [S] and then in an
extended paper by Agassi and Korenman [lo].
The presence of specific interface states in a band-
inverted heterojunction is ensured by a special symmetry
of the effective Hamiltonian [S, 111, which is analogous
to thesupersymmetry in quantum field theory (QFT).
Thisinsight allows oneto find all possible supersym-
metric heterostructures, which inevitably contain inter-
face states [lZ]. Besides the band-inverted contact, these
are ferroelectric [l l] and antiferromagnetic [l21 domain
walls in semiconductors which undergo the correspond-
ing phase transitions.
The case of a ferroelectric domain wall is illustrated

0268-1242/90/038204+06 $03.50 @ 1990 IOP Publishing Ltd

 Supersymmetry in narrow-gap semiconductors

1 L+
where for the band-inverted heterojunctionf(z) changes
its sign. Assumingf( - CO)< 0 andf( + CO)> 0, we put
the coordinate origin in such a way thatf(0) = 0 (figure

L- i C c
1).
Under the constraint (3), the transformation

2 1 t-
L
I converts (2) into a pair of decoupled equations:
Figure 1. Energy diagram of a band-inverted
heterojunction made of Pb, - .Sn,Te(Se). Labels L F mark
odd and even energy bands.

(5)
by Pb, -,Ge,Te, which reveals a ferroelectric phasetran- where
sition. The antiferromagnetic system can be realised by
doping with magnetic impurities, e.g. Mn. Such a system
is of principal importance because it allows one to model
the effect of a parity violation in quantum electrodynam-
Equation (5) is thecommonSchrodingerequation
ics (QED) in (2 + 1) dimensions (two space plus onetime)
with a specific potential, which is a linear combinationof
[12]. The field-theoretical viewpoint on the band-
the square of the derivative of the same function W,(z). It
inverted system was used by Fradkin et a1 [13], although
possesses a special symmetry and represents the known
theprinciple role of themagneticimpurities was not
Wittensupersymmetric quantum mechanics [14]. The
mentioned.
supersymmetric potential permits the factorisationof ( 5 ) :

2. Interface states in a band-inverted heterojunction

The energy spectrum in Pb, -,Sn,Te near the L extrema (7)

is determined by a Dirac-type Hamiltonian. Neglecting where we have introduced the eigenvalue of the in-plane
far-band terms, which provide a negligible influence [lo], momentum pl. From (7) it is easy to find the localised
we get the following EFA equation: solutions
(iP,o, k W,(z)) xoT = 0 (8)
with eigenvalues
where A(z) = cg(z)/2 and the potential cp(z) (which can be 2 A?. 12
referred to as theworkfunction) describes the variationof & 2 2 ( P l )= f P1 (1 - cpo/ 0) * (9)
the gap centre. The momentum operators 8, and el= Thesearethe so-called zeromodes,theremarkable
( f i x , 8,) are projections of the momentum operator onto consequence of asupersymmetry [14, 151. Assuming
the growth directionz and the heterojunction plane(x, y ) +
W,( cc)> 0, we find two solutions of equation (8):
respectively; r~, and cl = (c,, ay) are the corresponding
Pauli matrices. The envelope II/ function is a column of
two spinors $ - and $ + which belong to the L - and L
bands. For simplicity we consider the L valley lying on
the [l 1 l] axis oriented along the z direction. x exp( - Lj^wE(z)
hull 0 dz +
Applying the left-hand-side matrix operator to both
sides of (1) gives corresponding to eigenvalues (9). In (lo), C is the nor-
r malisation constant and exp(i6) = ( p , ip,)/p.+
The only condition for the existence of bound states,
which comes from the normalisation, is that the asymp-
- A)] * = 0 (2) totics W,( cc) shouldhaveopposite signs. Thus only
the global behaviourof the function WE(z),which is called
the superpotential [14, 151, is important.
where 0 denotes the direct matrix product.
Both A and cp depend practically linearly on the alloy Owing tothe presence of theoperator in (8), the
compositi,on. As a result, they have a common depen- spin structure of (10) is fixed. This means that the two-
dimensional interface states (10) are not spin-degenerate,
dence on z:
in accordance with generalresults of supersymmetric
quantum mechanics.

S205
0 A Pankratov
f form, which ensures the existence of bound states. For
Figure 2. Energy spectrum of non-degenerate interface
states against in-plane momentum pL (dotted lines). E: (0,
*
p I ) are L bulk bands E; ( p z ,p I ) on the right of the
junction for pz = 0; E: (0,p L ) are the same bands on the
left of the junction.
The sign reversal of W,(z) is guaranteed by the sign
reversal of f(z); but, as is seen from (6), at high I E ~ it
vanishes. This means that at the critical energies
theboundstatesdisappearandthesupersymmetry is
said to be broken. It is easy to verify that atthese energies
the conic interface spectrum (9) touches the L- bands
(taken at zero momentum p,) of bulk materials on both
sides of the junction (figure 2).
From (9) and (1 1) we find that the number of bound
states per unit area is given by
N = (A;/pi - l)(Az( + CO)+ A2( - ~0))/4nh~uf.(12)
Assuming the factor Ai/& - 1 is of the order of unity, we
get an estimate of N Y 10l2 cm-2 for typical values
2: 0.1 eV and uI 2: 2.2 x lo7 cm S - .
From (9) and (12) it follows that bound states exist
p
,
only when I I < I A, 1. Otherwise, the superpotential ( 6 )
does not change sign and the supersymmetry is broken at
any energy. This restriction implies that in Pb,-,Sn,Te
alloy the L- and L bands move towardseachother
with increasing x.
Experimentally, the value of p
, for Pb, -,Sn,Te has
still not been uniquely determined. According to Pichler
et al [16], I p o l < IAoi (type I band diagram), although
Murase et al [17], supported by a recent paper [18],
insist on type 11. However, Pb, -,Sn,Se experiments [l91
favour the type I diagram.
For Hg,-,Cd,Te thetypeIbanddiagram iswell
established, although there is some controversy regard-
ing the value of the valence band offset [20, 211. When
pL = 0 thecorresponding EFA equation for the Kane
S206
Hamiltonian can be transformed into a supersymmetric
pl # 0, however, the heavy-hole band does not decouple
and only a sharp heterojunction can be treated analyti-
cally [S].
The localisation length for bound states (10) at low
energy is given by
I, = ht. 11 /(Ai - (P;)~~. (13)
It increases with increasing energy I E 1. At critical energies
(1 1) it becomes infinite. For a symmetric junction (p, =
0) and a bulk gap of211, N 0.1 eV we get I , Y 30 A.
If the characteristic width of a junction, determined
by f(z), isless than I,, the zero-mode (10) is the only
bound state. Otherwise, ordinary spin-degenerate inter-
face states may appear [4]. However, a spin-non-degen-
erate conic branch (9) exists at any width of junction.
Electrons occupying these states behave like spinless and
massless particles-two-dimensional charged neutrinos.
Itcan be shownthatanisotropy (for obliqueL
valleys) andfar-band corrections [lo] do notdestroy
these interface states but preserve the conic character of
the spectrum.
3. Landau levels, magnetic susceptibilityand optical
selection rules
In a magnetic field H parallel to the z axis the spectrum
(9) splits into Landau levels
where L, = (ch/lel H)112is the magnetic length. Formula
(14) follows from (9) after a substitutionpI + (huL/LH) x
(271). To estimate the splitting it is instructive to note
that ~ u J L H= ( ~ ~ h 0 , / 2 ) ~where
/ ~ , cg and W, arethe
fundamental gap and cyclotron frequency of the bulk
material either to the left or to the right. Since usually
h o c , the splitting (14) is much larger than that of the
band states. In a field H = 1 T the bulk fundamental gap
E* ?: 0.1 eV is overlapped by only five Landau levels. As a
result of thegiantsplitting,onecan realise at finite
temperature the quantum regime for interface states and
the classical region for band states. Then one can expect
that quantum oscillations of the longitudinal magnetor-
esistance due to resonant scattering by interface Landau
levels will not be masked by band effects.
In a weak field (classical limit T 9 hv,/L,), using the
spectrum (14) we get thediamagnetic susceptibility of
interface electrons [4] :
where the chemical potential p is counted from the conic
point. The temperature dependence x ( T ) is non-mono-
tonic and shows a maximum at T,,, ?: 0.641p i .
Circular polarised light propagating parallel to the
magnetic field along the z axis (Faraday configuration)

inducescyclotrontransitions in) -, In k 1) between
levels (14) with the dipole matrix element v I . In theVoigt
geometry (linear polarisation along z for light propaga-
tion perpendicular to the magnetic field), only transitions
between interfacestates and bulk Landausub-bands
with n conservationare allowed. The dipolematrix
element is equal to
where E? is the EFA Hamiltonian, the cps determine the
z-dependent part of the bulk and interface wavefunctions,
and ~ ~ , , ( nis) the energy of the nth Landau sub-band.
4. Magnetic impurities in a band-inverted heterojunc-
tion: antiferromagnetic domain walls
Does a possibility exist to create a gap in an interface
electron spectrum (9)? The degeneracy in a conic pointis
ensured by the time-reversal symmetry and can be re-
moved only by magnetic impurities. To provide a gap we
need the off-diagonal interband matrix element in the
EFA Hamiltonian (1). Symmetry analysis [123 shows that
it can be produced by an exchange interaction with an
odd-spin density (because of the opposite parity of L*
bands).Homogeneouslydistributedantiferromagneti-
cally ordered impurities will provide the imaginary term
iP = constant in theHamiltonian of aband-inverted
junction
H=(
A(z) + cp(z) vu-p + iP
HC -A@> +
and instead of a linear interface spectrum (9) we get a
massive spectrum
+
~ ~ ~= ( p [P~ ) u:pl(l - cp&Ai)]2. (18)
Another way to obtain an analogous interface spec-
trum in the case A(z) = constant is to consider an inho-
mogeneous configuration of an exchange field P(z) like
that of figure 3. It is important that, similar to We(z), the
field P(z)shouldchangeits sign. Suchasoliton-like
configuration is indeed an antiferromagnetic domain
wall. In this case thenon-degenerateinterfacestates
Figure 3. Soliton configuration of an exchange field-the
antiferromagnetic domain wall. The same configuration of
an electric polarisation corresponds to oppositely directed
domains in a semiconductor ferroelectric.
Supersymmetry in narrow-gap semiconductors
possess thesamespectrum (18) with thesubstitution
P -,A and po -,0. These two possibilities are described
by unitary equivalent Hamiltonians [12].
Incontrasttothe three-dimensional case, in two
space dimensions the massive character of the spectrum
(18) dramatically changes the electromagnetic response
of the interface electrons. Calculation [l21 gives, instead
of (14), the following Landau levels:
) - PsgnH
~ ( 0= (19)
~ ( n )= f [ P 2 + 2 4 1 - ~ ~ / d ~ ) h ~ : / L ~ ] ~ .
An important feature of (19) is that the zero level ~ ( 0 )
crosses the gap 2P when H is switched from left to right.
If this levelis populated by electrons, this switching
requires some work. This means that the interface elec-
trons possess a magnetic moment. At finite temperature
this moment per unit area is given by [l21
where 4,, = hc/l e I is a fluxoid.
M is directed along z and is produced by interface
electrons not by magnetic impurities. It creates an inter-
nal magnetic field which can evoke a Hall current in the
absence of an external field H . This current is identical to
the so-called abnormal vacuumcurrent discovered in
QED C221 in (2 + 1) dimensions. Instability of the (2 1) +
QED vacuumstate with respect to thegeneration of a
magnetic field was also found [23]. However, in (2 1) +
QED the magnetic moment is not an observable (it is a
vacuum property). In our case we have a third dimen-
sion, which allows us to measure its deflection from the z
axis, and M becomes an observable.
5. Ferroelectric domain walls
The thirdexample of a supersymmetric heterostructure is
a domain wall in semiconductor ferroelectrics such as
Pb, -.Ge,Te. Below the Curie point the polarisationU is
directed along one of the [11l] axes. Symmetry analysis
[ 12,241 shows that via the optical deformation potential
the polarisation U produces an off-diagonal perturbation
in the k - p Hamiltonian:
H=(A
A vu*jj- i u - u
HC -A
(an isotropic form is given for simplicity). We will discuss
the simplest case of oppositely directed domains, when
the domain wall is perpendicular to U. In this case the
term iu U = ia,u(z) changes its sign as shown in figure 3.
The loss of an inversion centre lifts the spin degenera-
cy in a homogeneous ferroelectric, leading to the spin-
split bulk bands (figure 4)
k &*(pZ, pI) = f [A2 + ufipf + (U f uIpJ 23 112 .
(22)
S207
0 A Pankratov

1 2 3 4 5
H, / H

i Figure 5. Quantum oscillations of the total number of

Figure 4. Energy spectrum of a semiconductor
ferroelectric with oppositely directed domains against two-
component momentum p,. Branches ~ ~ (p 0 I ) ,are spin-
split energy bands of a homogeneous ferroelectric at p z =
0. The bold line indicates the doubly degenerate interface
energy level E = A (A is the half-width of the fundamental
gap.) Delocalised electrons between branches E +(O, p I )
are completely reflected by the wall. Therefore ,E is the
mobility threshold in a many-domain system.
The solution of a Dirac equation with variable u ( z ) is
straightforward after the introduction of new envelope
functions
$1 = - iOz$l $2 = $2. (23)
These functions are eigenfunctions of the operator
Cc x PlZ4:,2 = L- P d , 2 (24)
with eigenvalues L- p , . In (24), thesuperscripts f energy spectrum which does not depend on the shape of
correspond to different projections of the spin on an axis
perpendicular to in-plane momentum pl. The localised
solutions
$:,2(z) 5 exp( L-
are normalised if ulp, < I U( L- m) 1 , The corresponding
energy eigenvalues do not depend on p,, i.e. the in-plane
mass is infinite. Therefore we have an energy level
8 =Ae(w)I/t', - P,) (26)
of interface states which is doubly degenerate because of
the two $ * states; 0 is a step function(see figure 4). If one
changes the signs of the asymptotics from U( L- x)2 0 to
U( f m) 5 0, the level (26) moves to the position E =
- A.
The number of interface states is determined by the
normalisation constraint and is given by
N o = 1/2d: (27)
where I , = hu,/lu(c;o)l. For U 'v 30meV (Pbo.,Ge0,,Te
at T = 0) we get N o 'v 10" cm-*. It is also worth men-
tioning that free carriers with energy / & l > A and P ,
between band branches (22) (figure 4) are totally reflected
from the wall [l l].
bound states of the ferroelectric domain wall in an external
magnetic field. The scale of the field is H, = 4,/4nl: N 1 T.
Inspite of the infinite in-plane mass, the interface
states feel the external magnetic field. Of course, the level
(26) is not split, butthetotalnumber of states, (27),
reveals quantum oscillations (figure 5). Under the substi-
tution p , + (2n)'I2h/LH, thecondition u,p, < ~ u ( x ) ~
limits the upper Landau number:
n < nmax= Li/21:.
The steps correspond to those values of H when nmax
changes by unity.
6. Conclusions
As has been shown above, some particular semiconduc-
tor interfaces possess universal interface states with an
the transition region. At present, there seems to exist only
one experimental manifestation of massless two-dimen-
sional statesin band-inverted Hg,-,Cd,Te-CdTe hetero-
junctions. After thebandinversion,Faurie et aE [25]
found
anomalously high in-plane
mobility in
Hg, -,Cd,Te-CdTe superlattices.
The technology of IV-VI compounds is now also
developed enough to prepareband-inverted structures of
a sufficiently high quality. IV-VI ferroelectric superlat-
tices are also in progress [26]. Thus there is hope that
experimentalstudies of universal interface states in
supersymmetricsemiconductorstructures will become
possible in the near future.
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