The Effect of Temperature on the Energetic Position of the Fermi Level in Porous Silicon
Abstract
This paper presents the theoretical investigation of the temperature-dependent shift of the Fermi level in porous silicon (por-Si). The study is based on the charge-state distribution model originally proposed for hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H), with consideration of the unique physical and chemical properties of porous silicon (por-Si). The temperature dependence of the parameters in the charge-state density within the bandgap is accounted for in both simplified and advanced models. For each model, the Fermi-level shift behavior was calculated using numerical methods based on integral-differential equations. The results are presented in graphical form, and the physical mechanisms underlying the Fermi level shift across different temperature ranges are discussed. The conclusions obtained can be applied to explain carrier transport processes, reduce surface recombination, and improve the efficiency of por-Si/c-Si heterostructure-based solar cells.
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