On the band structure lineup at interfaces of SiO2, Si3N4, and high-κ dielectrics -: art. no. 122101

The interface-induced gap states (IFIGS) are the fundamental mechanism which determines the band structure lineup at semiconductor interfaces. The valence-band offsets of semiconductor heterostructures and the barrier heights of Schottky contacts are given by the branch-point energies of the IFIGS of the semiconductors and respective electric-dipole terms. The branch-point energies of SiO2, Si3N4, and of the high-kappa dielectrics Al2O3, HfO2, and ZrO2 are determined as 3.99 +/- 0.10, 1.93 +/- 0.14, 3.23 +/- 0.42, 2.62 +/- 0.18, and approximate to 3.2 eV, respectively, from experimental valence-band offsets of heterostructures of these insulators. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.