Surface and interface electronic properties of group III-nitride heterostructures

For group III-nitrides with wurtzite structure the presence of fixed polarization interface charges yields new challenges in order to understand and control Schottky barrier heights, band offsets and 2D confinement in heterostructure FETs. In this short review experimental results obtained by in situ photoemission spectroscopy on MBE AlGaN/GaN heterostructures grown on 6H–SiC are discussed, with emphasis on the presence and interplay of surface electronic states. Schrödinger–Poisson calculations are performed to get the complete band scheme at the selected heterojunctions. Results on the polarity dependence of Pt/GaN Schottky barrier values from the literature are also discussed.