Flat band voltage, Fermi level

[of345]

Hi,

I would like to get suggestions about the physical meaning of the (1) flat-band voltage and the (2) Fermi-level.

Before being marked as newbie, I'd like to point out that I know how to calculate them and know that the
(1) flat band voltage is the one which you apply, the energy band will be straight
(2) the Fermi-level is the energy level where the probability of occupancy for electrons is 1/2.

So I know the calculations and these definitions but I am somehow struggling with linking them to straight understandable physical phenomenons...can somebody please explain.

Thanks,
OF

 

[BigJDubs]

The flat-band voltage is an important concept in semiconductor device design. It is the voltage required to make the Fermi level of a material equal to the center of the energy gap of the material. The Fermi level is the energy at which the probability of occupancy for electrons is 1/2. The Fermi level is related to the concentration of electrons, so it can be used to describe how the material behaves in terms of electron transport. In semiconductor devices, the flat-band voltage is used to determine the performance of the device. It can be used to determine the threshold voltage of the device, which determines the voltage at which the device will turn on and off. The flat-band voltage also affects the current-voltage characteristics of the device, as well as its breakdown voltage.