Effects of Hydrostatic Pressure on the Piezoresistance of Semiconductors:i-InSb,p-Ge,p-InSb, andn-GaSb

A method for measuring the piezoresistance of a sample under high hydrostatic pressure by comparison with the piezoresistance of intrinsic InSb is described. The method is tested by a measurement of the piezo-resistance of $p$-type germanium and $p$-type InSb up to 13 000 kg/${\mathrm{cm}}^2$. The piezoresistance of these materials is found to be independent of pressure, in good agreement with predictions based on other experiments. Measurement of the piezoresistance of $n$-GaSb as a function of pressure up to 12 000 kg/${\mathrm{cm}}^2$ confirms the correctness of the model of the conduction band which has been proposed by Sagar. Values for certain parameters of the conduction band of GaSb are deduced.