
The Tauc–Lorentz model is a mathematical formula for the frequency dependence of the complex-valued
relative permittivity, sometimes referred to as the dielectric function. The model has been used to fit the complex
refractive index of amorphous semiconductor materials at frequencies greater than their optical
band gap. The
dispersion relation bears the names of
Jan Tauc
Jan Tauc (; 15 April 1922 – 28 December 2010) was a Czech-American physicist who introduced the concepts of Tauc gap and Tauc plot to the optical characterization of solids. Born in Bohemia, he emigrated to the United States in 1969, where he re ...
and
Hendrik Lorentz
Hendrik Antoon Lorentz (; 18 July 1853 – 4 February 1928) was a Dutch physicist who shared the 1902 Nobel Prize in Physics with Pieter Zeeman for the discovery and theoretical explanation of the Zeeman effect. He also derived the Lorentz t ...
, whose previous works
were combined by G. E. Jellison and F. A. Modine to create the model.
The model was inspired, in part, by shortcomings of the
Forouhi–Bloomer model, which is aphysical due to its incorrect asymptotic behavior and
non-Hermitian character. Despite the inspiration, the Tauc–Lorentz model is itself aphysical due to being non-Hermitian and
non-analytic in the
upper half-plane.
Further researchers have modified the model to address these shortcomings.
Mathematical formulation
The general form of the model is given by
:
where
*
is the relative permittivity,
*
is the
photon energy
Photon energy is the energy carried by a single photon. The amount of energy is directly proportional to the photon's electromagnetic frequency and thus, equivalently, is inversely proportional to the wavelength. The higher the photon's frequency, ...
(related to the
angular frequency by
),
*
is the value of the relative permittivity at infinite energy,
*
is related to the
electric susceptibility.
The imaginary component of
is formed as the product of the imaginary component of the
Lorentz oscillator model and a model developed by
Jan Tauc
Jan Tauc (; 15 April 1922 – 28 December 2010) was a Czech-American physicist who introduced the concepts of Tauc gap and Tauc plot to the optical characterization of solids. Born in Bohemia, he emigrated to the United States in 1969, where he re ...
for the imaginary component of the relative permittivity near the bandgap of a material.
The real component of
is obtained via the
Kramers-Kronig transform of its imaginary component. Mathematically, they are given by
:
:
where
*
is a fitting parameter related to the strength of the Lorentzian oscillator,
*
is a fitting parameter related to the broadening of the Lorentzian oscillator,
*
is a fitting parameter related to the resonant frequency of the Lorentzian oscillator,
*
is a fitting parameter related to the bandgap of the material.
Computing the Kramers-Kronig transform,
:
where
*
,
*
,
*
,
*
,
*
.
See also
*
Cauchy equation
*
Sellmeier equation
The Sellmeier equation is an empirical relationship between refractive index and wavelength for a particular transparent medium. The equation is used to determine the dispersion of light in the medium.
It was first proposed in 1872 by Wolfgan ...
*
Lorentz oscillator model
*
Forouhi–Bloomer model
*
Brendel–Bormann oscillator model
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tauc-Lorentz model
Condensed matter physics
Electric and magnetic fields in matter
Optics