Analysis on reflection spectra in strained ZnO thin films

Thin films of laser molecular-beam epitaxy grown ZnO films were studied with respect to their optical properties. 4-K reflectivity was used to analyze various samples grown at different biaxial in-plane strains. The spectra show two structures at ≈3.37 eV corresponding to the A-free exciton transition and at ≈3.38 eV corresponding to the B-free exciton transition. Theoretical reflectivity spectra were calculated using the spatial dispersion model. Thus, the transverse energies, the longitudinal transversal splitting (ELT,), the oscillator strengths, and the damping parameters were determined for both the A- and B-free excitons of ZnO. As a rough trend, the strain dependence of the energy ELT for the A-excitons is characterized by a negatively peaking behavior with a minimum around the zero strain, while ELT for the B-excitons is an increasing function of the strain field values.