CdTe/α-Sn/CdTe single quantum wells

Abstract

α-Sn is a zero band gap semiconductor (ZGS). The s-like Γ₆ band which is the conduction tend in conventional semiconductors is below the α-Sn valence band edge. While the p-like Γ₈ band edge remains to be degenerate, kâ‹…p interaction causes the light hole part to invert forming a small effective mass conduction band. α-Sn possesses lattice inversion symmetry so that it has the simplest band structure among the ZGS's that includes HgTe and the ternary Hg_1-xCd_xTe to some extent in the Cd content, x. The light hole band inverts so that the minimum resides precisely at the Γ-point.