Electronic structure of semiconductor surfaces and interfaces

Abstract

This article discusses how our understanding of the electronic structure of semiconductor surfaces has evolved over the last decades. It traces the evolution of concepts, such as surface states, surface core level shifts, and charge transfer. Examples from silicon surfaces show how much our capabilities for detecting surface states have grown, from the first indirect evidence of surface states to the full picture in momentum space and real space. An extrapolation to the future forecasts a shift from the analysis of surfaces towards the synthesis of new structures, using advanced semiconductor processing techniques.