Theory of Semiconductor Heterojunction Valence-Band Offsets: From Supercell Band-Structure Calculations toward a Simple Model

Abstract
Supercell band-structure calculations of semiconductor heterojunctions were carried out with a significantly simplified description of self-consistency. The results show that the interface dipole, which is an important part of the band offset, is essentially dielectrically screened. A new simple model, emphasizing the charge transfer in the interfacial bonds, is proposed. Satisfactory results for a large number of lattice-matched (110) heterojunctions are presented.