Optical dispersion relations for amorphous semiconductors and amorphous dielectrics

An expression for the imaginary part, k, of the complex index of refraction, N=n-ik, for amorphous materials is derived as a function of photon energy E: k(E)=A(E-Eg)2/(E2-BE+C) where A, B, and C are positive nonzero constants characteristic of the medium such that 4C-B2>0. Eg represents the optical energy band gap. The real part, n, of the complex index of refraction is then determined to be n(E)=n(∞)+(B0E+C0)/ (E2-BE+C) using Kramers-Kronig analysis, where B0 and C0 are constants that depend on A, B, C, and Eg, and n(∞) is a constant greater than unity. Excellent agreement was found between these formulas and experimentally measured and published values of n and k of amorphous silicon, hydrogenated amorphous silicon, amorphous silicon nitride, and titanium dioxide. © 1986 The American Physical Society.