Elastic constants of III-V compound semiconductors: Modification of Keyes' relation

We have proposed new empirical relations between elastic constants and lattice constants for III-V compound semiconductors with the zincblende (ZB) structure by modifying Keyes' relation. The new relations show excellent agreement with available experimental data and give considerably better estimates than do the extended Huckel tight-binding method and the bond-orbital model. We have calculated the elastic constants for AlP, BAs, AlN, GaN and InN with the ZB structure using the relations. For III nitrides the elastic constants in the wurtzite phase have also been calculated combining the relations and Martin's formula. The values so obtained are reasonable but less reliable than those for the ZB phase.