Theory of the Piezoelectric Effect in the Zincblende Structure

A theory of the piezoelectric effect in the zincblende structure is developed on the basis of two assumptions: (1) that the Born theory of a homogeneous lattice deformation is applicable, and (2) that each chemical bond is characterized by a vector bond dipole moment. The theory leads to an equation relating the macroscopic piezoelectric constant to the static and dynamic effective charges (properties of the bond moment), and a lattice parameter γ₁₄ which relates the internal strain (basis deformation) to the external strain. An x-ray method for measuring γ₁₄ is discussed; it utilizes the failure of Friedel's rule in the anomalous dispersion region. An order-of-magnitude check of the theory is made on ZnS. Some remarks are made about the piezoelectric effect in wurtzite based on the same model.