Dielectric Response to Impurity Ions in GALLIUM(1 -X)ALUMINUM(X)ARSENIDE/GALLIUM-ARSENIDE/GALLIUM(1- X)aluminum(x) Arsenide Quantum Wells.

The present work considers the dielectric response to donor and acceptor ions by the valence electrons in GaAs quantum wells (QWs) of infinite and finite depths. It is found that, as far as the binding energy for a donor is concerned, the dielectric response of the GaAs QWs leads to deviations with respect to the hydrogenic theory. The effect of the nonparabolicity of the GaAs conduction band on the binding energy for a hydrogenic donor placed at on- and off-center positions in a GaAs QW, leads to substantially enhanced binding. A model of the kinetic energy operator, adapted by Morrow and Brownstein for an electron in the presence of an abrupt heterojunction, has also been used to calculate the binding energy for a donor placed at the center of the GaAs QW. It is found that the binding energy considering the linearized screening theory is larger than that for the hydrogenic theory. It is also found that an acceptor ion binding a heavy hole is much more affected by the dielectric response of the valence electrons of the GaAs than that associated with a light hole. It is clear from this work that consideration of the dielectric response of the valence electrons of a GaAs QW is an important factor in investigating the energy states of impurities.