Understanding Schottky Barrier Height: Why the Energy Bands?

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The discussion centers on the Schottky-Mott theory of Schottky Barrier height, specifically addressing the assumption that energy bands at the semiconductor interface remain consistent with those of the isolated semiconductor. The key point of contention is the reasoning behind the electronic affinity being considered identical at the interface and the bulk of the semiconductor, despite the expected band bending due to the electric field. This inquiry highlights the need for a deeper understanding of thermodynamic principles and their application in semiconductor physics.

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Fernsanz
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I have been chewing up some time ago the Schottky-Mott theory of Schottky Barrier height (which ignores the surface states). All the deduction seems to ground on fundamental thermodynamical principles (as the equality of Fermi levels- i.e. equality of chemical potential in equilibrium) but there is something which I can't clearly see and is one of the key points to calculate the height barrier: Why the energy bands on the semiconductor side just at the interface are assumed to be the same that the ones of the isolated semiconductor? It is clear that the band have to bend (because of the electric field) but I see no reason to why the bands values should "start" to bend from the original values (the values of the isolated semiconductor).

To put it in other words, the question could be restated: why the electronic affinity is assumed to be the same at the interface than at the bulk of the semiconductor?


Thanks.
 
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