Boundary conditions in multibandk⋅pmodels: A tight-binding test

A quantitative comparison between different $\mathit{k}\mathit{\cdot }\mathit{p}$ calculations of valence-band states in quantum-confinement semiconductor heterostructures is presented. The importance of using appropriate boundary conditions to match the envelope functions across abrupt heterointerfaces is addressed quantitatively using an improved tight-binding model to discriminate between existing models. The relevance of the present results to the design of optoelectronic devices is discussed.