Optical phonon modes in graded III–V nitride quantum wells

The dispersion relation for optical phonon modes in graded wurtzite AlN/GaN and AlN/InN quantum wells is calculated taking into account the existence of interfacial transition regions. We make use of a model based on the macroscopic theory developed by Loudon, known as the continuum dielectric model. The optical phonon modes are modelled considering only the electrostatic boundary conditions (neglecting retardation effects), in the absence of charge transfer between ions. We show that the graded interfaces strongly shift the frequencies of the phonon modes of the otherwise abrupt nitrides quantum wells.