Model for Schottky barrier and surface states in nanostructured n-type semiconductors

A semiclassical model for Schottky contacts to be applied to nanosized polycrystalline n-type semiconductors was developed. To this purpose we determined the density of surface states as a function of the mean grain radius, which establishes the Schottky barrier height. The intergranular potential shape was investigated in depletion approximation under spherical geometry and a critical revision of this method was proposed. The model was then extended to also include nanostructured materials, which could not be considered in the previous approach. Thus we were able to explain the flattening of the band bending and the decrease in the surface state density, which are experimentally observed when the granulometry is very fine. © 2002 American Institute of Physics.