Semiconductor surface states

Kinetic Photoelectrochemical Processes at High Surface State Semiconductors... 

Semiconductor devices ate affected by three kinds of noise. Thermal or Johnson noise is a consequence of the equihbtium between a resistance and its surrounding radiation field. It results in a mean-square noise voltage which is proportional to resistance and temperature. Shot noise, which is the principal noise component in most semiconductor devices, is caused by the random passage of individual electrons through a semiconductor junction. Thermal and shot noise ate both called white noise since their noise power is frequency-independent at low and intermediate frequencies. This is unlike flicker or ///noise which is most troublesome at lower frequencies because its noise power is approximately proportional to /// In MOSFETs there is a strong correlation between ///noise and the charging and discharging of surface states or traps. Nevertheless, the universal nature of ///noise in various materials and at phase transitions is not well understood. 

Interface states played a key role in the development of transistors. The initial experiments at Bell Laboratories were on metal/insulator/semiconductor (MIS) stmctures in which the intent was to modulate the conductance of a germanium layer by applying a voltage to the metal plate. However, only - 10% of the induced charges were effective in charging the conductance (3). It was proposed (2) that the ineffective induced charges were trapped in surface states. Subsequent experiments on surface states led to the discovery of the point-contact transistor in 1948 (4). 

The excellence of a properly formed Si02—Si interface and the difficulty of passivating other semiconductor surfaces has been one of the most important factors in the development of the worldwide market for siUcon-based semiconductors. MOSFETs are typically produced on (100) siUcon surfaces. Fewer surface states appear at this Si—Si02 interface, which has the fewest broken bonds. A widely used model for the thermal oxidation of sihcon has been developed (31). Nevertheless, despite many years of extensive research, the Si—Si02 interface is not yet fully understood. 

The degree of surface cleanliness or even ordering can be determined by REELS, especially from the intense VEELS signals. The relative intensity of the surface and bulk plasmon peaks is often more sensitive to surface contamination than AES, especially for elements like Al, which have intense plasmon peaks. Semiconductor surfaces often have surface states due to dangling bonds that are unique to each crystal orientation, which have been used in the case of Si and GaAs to follow in situ the formation of metal contacts and to resolve such issues as Fermi-level pinning and its role in Schottky barrier heights. 

At present, the microwave electrochemical technique is still in its infancy and only exploits a portion of the experimental research possibilities that are provided by microwave technology. Much experience still has to be gained with the improvement of experimental cells for microwave studies and in the adjustment of the parameters that determine the sensitivity and reliability of microwave measurements. Many research possibilities are still unexplored, especially in the field of transient PMC measurements at semiconductor electrodes and in the application of phase-sensitive microwave conductivity measurements, which may be successfully combined with electrochemical impedance measurements for a more detailed exploration of surface states and representative electrical circuits of semiconductor liquid junctions. 

Electrochemical reactions at semiconductor electrodes have a number of special features relative to reactions at metal electrodes these arise from the electronic structure found in the bulk and at the surface of semiconductors. The electronic structure of metals is mainly a function only of their chemical nature. That of semiconductors is also a function of other factors acceptor- or donor-type impurities present in bulk, the character of surface states (which in turn is determined largely by surface pretreatment), the action of light, and so on. Therefore, the electronic structure of semiconductors having a particular chemical composition can vary widely. This is part of the explanation for the appreciable scatter of experimental data obtained by different workers. For reproducible results one must clearly define all factors that may influence the state of the semiconductor. 

We also address the models of adsorption change in electrophysical characteristics of semiconductor adsorbent caused both by diemisorbed charging of the surface due to the charge transition between surface states and volume bands of adsorbent and by local diemical interaction of adsorbate with electrically active defects of semiconductor. 

We consider the existing models of adsorption response of electrophysical characteristics of ideal monocrystalline adsorbent, monocrystal with inhomogeneous surface as well as polycrystal adsorbent characterized by an a priori barrier disorder. The role of rechar g of biographic surface states in the process of adsorption charging of the surface of semiconductor is analyzed. 

Assume, that there are adsorption particles with concentration Nt on the surface of semiconductor which is in adsorption equilibrium with a certain gas. A fraction of adsorption particles is charged with concentration designated as w<. Apart from them, on the surface there are various biographic surface states with concentration of the charged particles ng controlling the degree of an a priori band bending qUso-... 

Role of recharging of biographic surface states during chemisorption charging of a semiconductor surface... 

---