Abstract
We analyze the electronic energy band structure of strained and unstrained III-V semiconductors alloys within full-zone k.p approach in order to reach a realistic and minimal k.p model, parametrized to provide an accurate description of both valence and conduction bands. We show that a 40-band k.p model is fairly sufficient to reproduce accurately the overall band structure, obviating the use of any fictitious s* orbital. As an application, the 40-level k.p model is used to describe the band offsets as well as the band parameters in the strained AlxIn1-xAs/AlyGa1-yAs system. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4751353]