Band structure of indium antimonide

Abstract The band structure of InSb is calculated using the k ·. p perturbation approach and assuming that the conduction and valence band extrema are at k = 0. The small band gap requires an accurate treatment of conduction and valence band interactions while higher bands are treated by perturbation theory. A highly nonparabolic conduction band is found. The valence band is quite similar to germanium. Energy terms linear in k which cannot exist in germanium are estimated and found to be small, though possibly of importance at liquid-helium temperature. An absolute calculation of the fundamental optical absorption is made using the cyclotron resonance mass for n -type InSb. The agreement with experimental data for the fundamental absorption and its dependence on n -type impurity concentration is quite good. This evidence supports the assumptions made concerning the band structure.