A new compilation, based on a literature search for the period 1969–1976, is made of experimental data on the work function. For these 44 elements, preferred values are selected on the basis of valid experimental conditions. Older values, which are widely accepted, are given for 19 other elements on which there is no recent literature, and are so identified. In the data for the 63 elements, trends that occur simultaneously in both the columns and the rows of the periodic table are shown to be useful in predicting correct values and also for identifying questionable data. Several illustrative examples are given, including verifications of predictions published in 1950.

The work function of the elements and its periodicity

The dependence of the metal gate work function on the underlying gate dielectric in advanced metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) gate stacks was explored. Metal work functions on high-κ dielectrics are observed to differ appreciably from their values on SiO2 or in vacuum. We applied the interface dipole theory to the interface between the gate and the gate dielectric of a MOS transistor and obtained excellent agreement with experimental data. Important parameters such as the slope parameters for gate dielectrics like SiO2, Al2O3, Si3N4, ZrO2, and HfO2 were extracted. In addition, we also explain the weaker dependence of n+ and p+ polysilicon gate work functions on the gate dielectric material. Challenges for gate work function engineering are highlighted. This work provides additional guidelines on the choice of gate materials for future MOS technology incorporating high-κ gate dielectrics.

/pdf/metal-dielectric-band-alignment-and-its-implications-for-14ga6fq51y.pdf

Metal-dielectric band alignment and its implications for metal gate complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology

http://dipc.ehu.es/Echenique/index.htm/admin/documentos/archivos/publicaciones/186SS1999.pdf

Image potential states on metal surfaces: binding energies and wave functions

We report measurements of the photovoltaic effect in diode structures formed with thin films (100 nm) of the conjugated polymer poly(p-phenylene vinylene), PPV, sandwiched between electrodes of indium/tin oxide, ITO, and either aluminium, magnesium or calcium. Under illumination incident through the ITO contact, large open-circuit voltages were measured, which saturated at approximately 1.2 V for Al and Mg devices, and approximately 1.7 V for Ca devices. Quantum efficiencies (short-circuit current/incident photon flux) of order 1% were measured at low intensities (0.1 mW cm-2). The spectral response of the photocurrent demonstrates that photon absorption near the electron-collecting electrode optimizes the photocurrent, indicating that device performance is limited by low electron mobilities in the bulk PPV. The photocurrent exhibits a weak temperature dependence, with an activation energy that is a function of the electric field in the polymer. We have used these measurements to estimate an exciton binding energy in PPV of approximately 0.4 eV.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0953-8984/6/7/009/pdf

The photovoltaic response in poly(p-phenylene vinylene) thin-film devices

Work function of metals

(100), (110) and (111) single crystal aluminium substrates were thoroughly outgassed by heating by electron bombardment in ultra high vacuum. Fresh single crystal surfaces were prepared by autoepitaxy on these substrates and the work functions of the surfaces were determined photoelectrically. The general effect of the deposition of an aluminium film on the substrate was to reduce the work function, but annealing the film at temperatures between 473 K and 573 K caused the work function to return to a constant value which was taken to be characteristic of the ordered surface. (100) aluminium surfaces were also prepared by epitaxy on potassium chloride crystals. The effect of argon ion bombardment on a bulk (110) aluminium surface is to increase the work function towards the polycrystalline value, but the characteristic value for the (110) face may be restored by annealing the crystal. There is a linear relationship between surface atom density and work function for the three faces investigated.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0305-4608/3/9/016/pdf

R M Eastment

Papers

Work function measurements on (100), (110) and (111) surfaces of aluminium