Theory of the Fermi-level energy in semiconductor superlattices

A theoretical study of the properties of the Fermi level in semiconductor superlattices (SL’s) is made which is based upon the carrier occupation of the minibands in thermal equilibrium. We find, for a fixed carrier density and temperature, that the SL Fermi level can differ significantly from that obtained using commonly employed three-dimensional approximations, depending upon the relative spacings and widths of the minibands, with the SL Fermi level being higher than the corresponding bulk value. We find that the SL Fermi level is a sensitive function of the relative widths of the quantum wells and barriers.