Valence-band-edge shift due to doping in p⁺ GaAs

Accurate knowledge of the shifts in valence- and conduction-band edges due to heavy doping effects is crucial in modeling GaAs device structures that utilize heavily doped layers. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy was used to deduce the shift in the valence-band-edge induced by carbon (p type) doping to a carrier density of 1×1020 cm-3 based on a determination of the bulk binding energy of the Ga and As core levels in this material. Analysis of the data indicates that the shift of the valence-band maximum into the gap and the penetration of the Fermi level into the valence bands exactly compensate at this degenerate carrier concentration, to give ΔEv =0.12±0.05 eV.