Effect of pressure on the second-order Raman scattering intensities of zincblende semiconductors

A microscopic description of the two-phonon scattering intensities in direct-gap zincblende-type semiconductors as a function of hydrostatic pressure and for non-resonant excitation is presented. The calculations were performed according to the electron-two-phonon deformation potential interaction for the Gamma(1), and Gamma(15) components of the Raman tensor. It is shown that the effect of pressure on the Raman scattering cross-section exhibits a complex behavior according to the contribution of the acoustical or optical phonons to the overtones and combinations. Second-order scattering intensities via acoustical modes could decrease or increase with increasing hydrostatic pressure, while for combinations or overtones of optical phonons a decreasing intensity is obtained. Calculations of the effect of pressure on second-order Raman intensities are compared to experimental results for ZnTe. (C) 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim