TY - JOUR

T1 - A pertinent approximation of the electrostatic potential in a quantized electron accumulation layer induced at a nonideal surface of a narrow-gap semiconductor

AU - Vainer, Boris G.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PY - 2018/1/1

Y1 - 2018/1/1

N2 - Quantitative analysis of the electron accumulation layer formed near nonideal (actual) semiconductor surface causes considerable difficulties. In the present article, for the accumulation layers induced in the subsurface region at the real narrow-gap semiconductor-insulator interface, an effective algorithmic approach providing a simplified self-consistent solution of the Poisson and Schrödinger equations is proposed and discussed. The physical model takes into account the conduction band nonparabolicity, electron gas degeneration, and other dominant features of solids in question; special attention is paid to the existence of semiconductor-dielectric intermediate layer. A novel approximation for the surface electrostatic potential in the form of a modified Кratzer potential is proposed and substantiated. It allows us to obtain the electron wavefunctions and energy spectrum in the analytical form. It is shown that the modified Кratzer potential is a good approximation function applicable at least to subsurface electron accumulation layers induced at the A3B5 narrow-gap semiconductor boundary surface allowing for the existence of a semiconductor-insulator intermediate layer. For the n-InSb nonideal surface, as an example, spatial distribution of electron potential energy, discrete energy spectrum of electrons in the broad range of surface densities (up to 1013 cm-2), and some other physical characteristics are calculated using the proposed algorithm.

AB - Quantitative analysis of the electron accumulation layer formed near nonideal (actual) semiconductor surface causes considerable difficulties. In the present article, for the accumulation layers induced in the subsurface region at the real narrow-gap semiconductor-insulator interface, an effective algorithmic approach providing a simplified self-consistent solution of the Poisson and Schrödinger equations is proposed and discussed. The physical model takes into account the conduction band nonparabolicity, electron gas degeneration, and other dominant features of solids in question; special attention is paid to the existence of semiconductor-dielectric intermediate layer. A novel approximation for the surface electrostatic potential in the form of a modified Кratzer potential is proposed and substantiated. It allows us to obtain the electron wavefunctions and energy spectrum in the analytical form. It is shown that the modified Кratzer potential is a good approximation function applicable at least to subsurface electron accumulation layers induced at the A3B5 narrow-gap semiconductor boundary surface allowing for the existence of a semiconductor-insulator intermediate layer. For the n-InSb nonideal surface, as an example, spatial distribution of electron potential energy, discrete energy spectrum of electrons in the broad range of surface densities (up to 1013 cm-2), and some other physical characteristics are calculated using the proposed algorithm.

KW - electron accumulation layer

KW - electrostatic potential

KW - MIS structure

KW - nonideal surface

KW - novel approximating function

KW - SUBBAND STRUCTURE

KW - STATES

KW - FIELD

KW - BAND-STRUCTURE

KW - CAPACITANCE

KW - DENSITY

KW - CHANNEL

KW - INSB

KW - CHARGE

KW - INVERSION-LAYERS

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85021364323&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/jnm.2260

DO - 10.1002/jnm.2260

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85021364323

VL - 31

JO - International Journal of Numerical Modelling: Electronic Networks, Devices and Fields

JF - International Journal of Numerical Modelling: Electronic Networks, Devices and Fields

SN - 0894-3370

IS - 1

M1 - e2260

ER -