Electronic structure of superlattices and quantum wells under uniaxial stress

The envelope-function approximation is used to describe the electronic structure of superlattices and quantum wells under stress. The strain effects on the electronic properties of GaAs-${\mathrm{Al}}_{\mathrm{x}}$ ${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\mathrm{-}\mathrm{x}}$As quantum wells due to external in-plane stress are analyzed and compared with recent Raman and photoluminescence excitation experiments. The modification of the band structure of an InAs-GaSb superlattice due to lattice mismatch is also analyzed by means of a self-consistent calculation.