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Optical Absorption in Electric and Magnetic Fields
Author(s) -
Spector H. N.
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.19670220122
Subject(s) - electric field , magnetic field , absorption (acoustics) , perpendicular , quantum tunnelling , condensed matter physics , physics , phonon , optics , quantum mechanics , mathematics , geometry
The theory of optical absorption in electric and magnetic fields is extended to treat the case where the relative orientation of the fields is arbitrary. The treatment is valid within the limits of the effective mass approximation. For the cases where one of the fields is absent or where the electric and magnetic fields are perpendicular to each other, the theory yields the results previously derived. However, for the case of parallel magnetic and electric fields, the theory yields the result that the absorption edges and peaks are broadened due to the field induced tunneling between the bands. The effect of the parallel fields on phonon‐assisted transitions is also calculated. It is found that steps in the optical absorption which normally occur are broadened due to the field induced tunneling.