Generalized Theory Of Electroreflectance With Applications To Materials Characterization

A systematic study of the electrolyte electroreflectance lineshape in semiconducting alloys rich in defects has shown the necessity of generalizing the theory to include effects resulting from the interaction of the modulating electric field with local lattice instabilities and with polarizable charged defects. This generalization permits one to understand and use fully lineshapes previously considered pathological and incomprehensible. It has extended considerably the usefulness of electroreflectance and now provides detailed information on the role of specific defects such as stacking faults or antisites in the behavior of materials in device structures. This is particularly attractive, given the simplicity of the technique.