Abstract

When two crystalline semiconductors are abruptly adjoined, an interfacial region is formed whose physical properties are fundamentally different from those of the neighboring bulk materials. Since the microscopic characteristics of the junction determine the macroscopic properties of the material, it is desirable to identify energy states that arise in the region. Unfortunately, the buried solid interface is difficult to study experimentally. Although new methods have been developed and have been used with limited success to reveal specific features of the buried interface, the basic problem remains: traditional optical spectroscopies lack interface specificity, and traditional surface diagnostics have a limited penetration depth.

© 1993 Optical Society of America