Electronic and optical properties of MgTe quantum dots: size effect

Abstract

The size-dependent electronic and optical properties of magnesium telluride quantum dots are investigated using a pseudopotential scheme. The emphasis is focused on the effect of the size of the quantum dots on the undertaken properties. The quantum dot radius is considered to be varying in between 1 and 10 nm. It is found that the direct- and indirect band gaps as well as the electron and hole effective masses decrease non-linearly as the quantum dot radius is increased. However, the refractive index, the static- and high frequency dielectric as well as the transverse effective charge increase as the quantum dot size is augmented. The quantum confinement is found to play a major role for the studied physical quantities as long as the quantum dot radius remains less than 5 nm. This permits to tailor the electronic and optical properties of our material according to the desired application.