Band offsets, Schottky barrier heights, and their effects on electronic devices

Abstract

The authors review the band line-ups and band offsets between semiconductors, dielectrics, and metals,including the theory, experimental data, and the chemical trends. Band offsets have been critical in the choice of high dielectric constant oxides to be used in advanced metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors. It turns out that band offsets are also critical in the theory of doping limits, design of transparent conducting oxides, organic semiconductors, and electrodes to use in light emitting devices, photovoltaic cells, and photochemical cells. It is shown how band line-ups can be understood in terms of charge neutrality levels. These are also related to states due to interstitial hydrogen.