Semiconductor Physics

q
One Mark Questions 06. The units of are
KT
(GATE - 97)
01. A P-type silicon sample has a higher 1
(a) V (b) V
conductivity compared to an n-type silicon (c) J (d) J/K
sample having the same dopant concentration.
TRUE/ FALSE (GATE - 94) 07. The intrinsic carrier concentration of silicon
sample at 300oK is 1.5 10 16 /m 3 . If after
02. The Probability that an electron in a metal
doping, the number of majority carriers is
occupies the fermilevel, at any temperature.
(> 0K) (GATE - 95) 5 10 20 /m 3 , the minority carrier density is
(a) 0 (b) 1 (GATE - 02)
(a) 4.50 10 /m 11 3
(b) 3.33 10 4 /m 3
(c) 0.5 (d) 1.0 (c) 5.00 10 20 /m 3 (d) 3.00 10 5 /m 3
03. The drift velocity of electrons in silicon 08. The band gap of silicon at 300 K is
(GATE - 95) (GATE - 02)
(a) is proportional to the electric field for all (a) 1.36 eV (b) 1.10 eV
values of electric field (c) 0.80 eV (d) 0.67 eV
(b) is independent of the electric field.
(c) Increases at low values of electric field and 09. n type silicon is obtained by doping silicon
decreases at high values of electric field with (GATE - 03)
exhibiting negative differential resistance. (a) Germanium (b) Aluminium
(d) Increases linearly with electric field at low (c) Boron (d) Phosphorus
values of electric field and gradually
saturates at higher values of electric field. 10. The impurity commonly used for realizing the
base region of a silicon n-p-n transistor is
04. In a P-type Si sample the hole concentration is (GATE - 04)
2.251015/cm3. The intrinsic carrier (a) Gallium (b) Indium
10 3
Concentration is 1.510 /cm the electron (c) Boron (d) Phosphorus
concentration is (GATE - 95)
(a) Zero (b) 1010/cm3 11. The primary reason for the wide spread use of
(c) 105/cm3 (d) 1.51025/cm3 silicon in semiconductor device technology is
(GATE - 04)
05. A small concentration of minority carries is (a) Abundance of silicon on the surface of the
injected into a homogeneous Semiconductor Earth.
crystal at one point. An electric field of 10V/ (b) Larger bandgap of silicon in comparison to
cm is applied across the crystal and this germanium.
moves the minority carries a distance of 1cm (c) Favorable properties of silicon dioxide
in 20 sec. The mobility (in cm2/v-sec) will (sio 2 )
be (GATE - 94) (d) Lower melting point.
(a) 1,000 (b) 2,000
(c) 5,000 (d) 500,000
12. A silicon PN junction at a temperature of 17. Which of the following is true?
20o C has a reverse saturation current of 10pA. (GATE - 08)
The reverse saturation current at 40o C for the (a) A silicon wafer heavily doped with boron
same bias is approximately. (GATE - 04) is a P substrate.
(a) 20 pA (b) 30 pA (b) A silicon wafer lightly doped with boron is
(c) 40 pA (d) 80 pA a P substrate.
(c) A silicon wafer heavily doped with arsenic
13. The band gap of silicon at room temperature is is a P substrate.
(GATE - 05) (d) A silicon wafer lightly doped with arsenic
(a) 1.3 eV (b) 0.7 eV is a P substrate.
(c) 1.1 eV (d) 1.4 eV
18. In an n-type silicon crystal at room
14. Under low level injection assumption, the temperature, which of the following can have
injected minority carrier current for an a concentration of 4 10 19 cm 3 ?
extrinsic semiconductor is essentially the (GATE - 09)
(GATE - 05) (a) Silicon atoms (b) Holes
(a) Diffusion current (c) Dopant atoms (d) Valence electrons
(b) Drift current
(c) Recombination current 19. Drift current in semiconductors depends upon
(d) Induced current (GATE - 11)
(a) Only the electric field
15. The concentration of minority carriers in an (b) Only the carrier concentration gradient
extrinsic semiconductor under equilibrium is (c) Both the electric field and the carrier
(GATE - 06) concentration
(a) Directly proportional to the doping (d) Neither the electric field nor the carrier
concentration. concentration gradient
(b) Inversely proportional to the doping
concentration. 20. A silicon bar is doped with donor impurities
(c) Directly proportional to the intrinsic ND=2.25 1015 atoms/cm3. Given the intrinsic
concentration. carrier concentration of silicon at T = 300 K is
(d) Inversely proportional to the intrinsic ni = 1.51010 cm3. Assuming complete
concentration. impurity ionization, the equilibrium electron
and hole concentrations are
16. The electron and hole concentration in an (GATE - 14)(Set2)
intrinsic semiconductor are n i per cm 3 at (a) n0 = 1.5 1016 cm3, p0= 1.5 105 cm3
300o K. Now, if acceptor impurities are
(b) n0 = 1.5 1010 cm3, p0= 1.5 1015 cm3
concentration of NA per cm3 (where NA >> ni),
the electron concentration per cm 3 at 300o K (c) n0 = 2.25 1015 cm3, p0= 1.5 1010 cm3
with be (d) n0 = 2.25 1015 cm3, p0= 1 105 cm3
(GATE - 07)
(a) ni (b) ni + NA
2
ni
(c) NA ni (d)
NA
21. A thin P type silicon sample is uniformly (a) band gap energy of silicon (Eg)
illuminated with light which generates excess (b) sum of electron and hole mobility in
carriers. The recombination rate is directly silicon (n + p)
proportional to
(c) reciprocal of the sum of electron and hole
(GATE - 14)(Set3)
mobility in silicon (n + p)-1
(a) The minority carrier mobility
(b) The minority carrier recombination (d) intrinsic carrier concentration of silicon
lifetime (ni)
(c) The majority carrier concentration 25. The cut-off wavelength (in m) of light that
(d) The excess minority carrier concentration can be used for intrinsic excitation of a
semiconductor material of bandgap
22. At T = 300 K, the hole mobility of a Eg = 1.1eV is _________.
semiconductor p = 500 cm2/V- s and (GATE - 14)(Set4)
kT
26 mV. The hole diffusion constant Dp
q
Two Marks Questions
in cm2/s is ____.
(GATE - 14)(Set3)
01. Consider two energy levels: E1, E eV above
23. At T = 300 K, the band gap and the intrinsic the Fermi level and E2, E eV below the Fermi
carrier concentration of GaAs are 1.42eV and level. P1 and P2 are respectively the
106cm-3, respectively. In order to generate Probabilities of E1 being occupied by an
electron hole pairs in GaAs, which one of the electron and E2 being empty. Then
wavelength (c) ranges of incident radiation, (GATE - 87)
is most suitable? (Given that: Plancks (a) P1 > P2
constant is 6.62 10-34 J-s, velocity of light is (b) P1 = P2
(c) P1 < P2
3 1010 cm/s and charge of electron is 1.6
(d) P1 and P2 depend on number of free
10-19 C)
electrons
(GATE - 14)(Set4)
(a) 0.42m c 0.87m 02. In an intrinsic Semiconductor the free electron
(b) 0.87 m < c < 1.42 m concentration depends on (GATE - 87)
(c) 1.42 m < c < 1.62 m (a) Effective mass of electrons only
(d) 1.62 m < c < 6.62 m (b) Effective mass of holes only
(c) Temperature of the Semiconductor.
24. In the figure, ln(i) is plotted as a function of (d) Width of the forbidden energy band of the
1/T, where i is the intrinsic resistivity of semiconductor.
silicon, T is the temperature, and the plot is 03. According to the Einstein relation, for any
almost linear. (GATE - 14)(S4) semiconductor the ratio of diffusion constant
to mobility of carriers (GATE - 87)
ln(i) (a) Depends upon the temperature of the
semiconductor.
(b) Depends upon the type of the
semiconductor.
(c) Varies with life time of the
1/T semi conductor.
(d) Is a universal constant.

The slope of the line can be used to estimate

04. Direct band gap semi conductors (c) ptype with carrier concentration of
(GATE - 87) 21016/cm3
(a) Exhibit short carrier life time and they are (d) ntype with a carrier concentration of
used for fabricating BJTs
21016/cm3
(b) Exhibit long carrier life time and they are
used for fabricating BJTs
09. A Semi conductor is irradiated with light such
(c) Exhibit short carrier life time and they are that Carriers are uniformly generated
used for fabricating Lasers. throughout its volume. The Semiconductor is
(d) Exhibit long carrier life time and they are n-type with ND = 1019/cm3. If the excess
used for fabricating BJTs electron concentration in the steady state is
n = 1015/cm3 and if p=10 sec., [minority
05. Due to illumination by light, the electron and carriers life time] the generation rate due to
hole Concentrations in a heavily doped N irradiation (GATE - 92)
Type semi conductor increases by n and p 20 3
respectively if ni is the intrinsic concentration (a) is 10 e-h pairs/ cm /s
then, (GATE - 89) (b) is 1024 e-h pairs / cm3/s
(a) n < P (b) n > P (c) is 1010 e-h pairs / cm3/s
(c) n = P (d) n P (d) Cannot be determined because the given
data is insufficient
06. The Concentration of ionized acceptors and
donars in a Semi conductor are NA, ND 10. The intrinsic carrier density at 300oK is
respectively. If NA > ND and ni is the intrinsic 1.5 10 10 /cm 3 , in silicon for n type silicon
Concentration, the position of the fermilevel
doped to 2.25 10 15 atoms/cm 3 , the
with respect to the intrinsic level depends on
equilibrium electron and hole densities are
(GATE - 89)
(a) NA ND (b) NA + ND (GATE - 97)
(a) n = 1.5 10 15 /cm 3 , p = 1.5 10 10 /cm 3
N N
(c) A 2 D (d) n i (b) n = 1.5 10 10 /cm 3 , p = 2.25 10 15 /cm 3
ni (c) n = 2.25 10 15 /cm 3 , p = 1.0 10 5 /cm 3
(d) n = 1.5 10 10 /cm 3 , p = 1.5 10 10 /cm 3
07. Under high electric fields, in a semiconductor
with increasing electric field, (GATE - 90) 11. The electron concentration in a sample of
(a) The mobility of charge carriers decreases uniformly doped n type silicon at 300oK
(b) The mobility of the charge carriers varies linearly from 10 17 /cm 3 at x = 0 to 6
increases 10 16 /cm 3 at x = 2 m . Assume a situation
(c) The velocity of the charge carriers that electrons are supplied to keep this
saturates. concentration gradient constant with time. If
(d) The velocity of the charge carriers electronic charge is 1.6 10 19 coulomb and
increases. the diffusion constant D n = 35 cm 2 / s , the
08. A Silicon Sample is uniformly doped with current density in the silicon, if no electric
field is present is (GATE - 97)
1016 phosphorus atoms / cm3 and 21016
boron atoms / cm3 If all the dopants are fully (a) Zero (b) 120 A/cm 2
ionized the material is (GATE - 91) (c) +1120 A/cm 2 (d ) 1120 A/cm 2
(a) ntype with carrier concentration of
1016/cm3
(b) ptype with carrier concentration of
1016/cm3
12. An n type silicon bar 0.1 cm long and 100 (a) V B (b) B V
m 2 in cross sectional area has a majority (c) Along V (d) Opposite to V
carrier concentration of 5 10 20 /m 3 and the
carrier mobility is 0.13m 2 /v-s at 300oK. If 17. Silicon is doped with boron to a concentration
the charge of an electron is 1.6 of 4 10 17 atoms /cm. Assume the intrinsic
10 19 coulomb, then the resistance of the bar is carrier concentration of silicon to be
KT
(GATE - 97) 1.5 10 10 /cm 3 and the value of to be
(a) 10 6
(b) 10
4 q
(c) 10 1
(d) 10 4 25 mV at 300oK. Compared to undoped
silicon, the fermi level of doped silicon.
13. The resistivity of a uniformly doped n type (GATE - 07)
silicon sample is 0.5 -cm. If the Electron (a) Goes down by 0.13 eV
(b) Goes up by 0.13 eV
mobility ( n ) is 1250 cm 2 /V-sec and the
(c) Goes down by 0.427 eV
charge of an electron is 1.6 10 19 coulomb, (d) Goes up by 0.427 eV
the donor impurity concentration (ND) in the
sample is (GATE - 03)
Common Data for Q.18 & 19
(a) 2 10 /cm
16 3
(b) 1 10 16 /cm 3
(c) 2.5 10 15 /cm 3 (d) 2 10 15 /cm 3
The silicon sample with unit cross-sectional
14. A silicon sample A is doped with area shown below is in thermal equilibrium.
10 18 atoms/cm 3 of Boron. Another sample B The following information is given:
of identical dimensions is doped with T = 300oK, electronic charge = 1.610-19C,
10 18 atoms/cm 3 of phosphorus. The ratio of thermal voltage = 26 mV and electron
2
Electron to hole mobility is 1/ 3. The ratio of mobility = 1350 cm /v-s.
conductivity of the sample A to B is 1V
(GATE - 04)
1 2 3
(a) 3 (b) (c) (d)
3 3 2
ND = 1016/cm3
15. A heavily doped ntype semiconductor has
the following data.
Hole electron mobility ratio: 0.4 X= 0 X= 1m
Doping concentration: 4.2 10 8 atoms/m 3
Intrinsic concentration: 1.5 10 4 atoms/m 3 18. The magnitude of the electric field at x = 0.5
The ratio of conductance of the n type m is (GATE - 10)
semiconductor to that of the intrinsic (a) 1KV/cm (b) 5 KV/cm
Semiconductor of same material and at the (c)10 KV/cm (d) 25 KV/cm
same temperature is given by (GATE - 05)
(a) 0.00005 (b) 2,000 19. The magnitude of the electric drift current
(c) 10,000 (d) 20,000 density at x = 0 m is (GATE - 10)
16. The majority carriers in an n-type (a) 2.16 10 A/cm
4 2
(b) 1.08 104 A/cm2
semiconductor have an average drift velocity (c) 4.32 103 A/cm2 (d) 6.48 102 A/cm2
V in a direction perpendicular to a uniform
magnetic field B. The electric field E
induced due to Hall effect acts in the
direction. (GATE - 05)
20. Assume electronic charge q = 1.61019 C, 24. An Ntype semiconductor having uniform
kT/q = 25 mV and electron mobility n = doping is biased as shown in the figure.
1000 cm2/V-s. If the concentration gradient of
electrons injected into a P-type silicon sample
v
is 11021/cm4, the magnitude of electron
diffusion current density (in A/cm2) is ____.
(GATE - 14)(Set2)
Ntype semiconductor

21. When a silicon diode having a doping

concentration of NA = 91016 cm3 on p-side If EC is the lowest energy level of the
and ND = 1 1016 cm3 on n-side is reverse conduction band, EV is the highest energy
biased, the total depletion width is found to be level of the valance band and EF is the Fermi
3 m. Given that the permittivity of silicon is level, which one of the following represents
1.041012 F/cm, the depletion width on the the energy band diagram for the biased
p-side and the maximum electric field in the Ntype semiconductor?
depletion region, respectively, are (GATE - 14)(Set4)
(GATE - 14)(Set2)
(a) 2.7 m and 2.3 10 V/cm
5
(a) EC (b) EC
(b) 0.3 m and 4.15 105 V/cm EF EF
(c) 0.3 m and 0.42 105 V/cm EV
EV
(d) 2.1 m and 0.42 105 V/cm
(c) EC (d)
22. The donor and accepter impurities in an EF EC
EF
abrupt junction silicon diode are 11016 cm3 EV
EV
and 51018 cm3, respectively. Assume that
the intrinsic carrier concentration in silicon
kT
ni = 1.51010 cm3 at 300 K, 26mV and Five Marks Questions
q
the permittivity of silicon si=1.041012F/cm.
The built-in potential and the depletion width 01. An n-type silicon sample, having electron
of the diode under thermal equilibrium mobility n twice the hole mobility p, is
conditions, respectively, are subjected to a steady illumination such that
(GATE - 14)(Set3) the electron concentration doubles from its
(a) 0.7 V and 1 104 cm thermal equilibrium value. As a result, the
(b) 0.86 V and 1 104 cm conductivity of the sample increases by a
(c) 0.7 V and 3.3 105 cm factor of______
(d) 0.86 V and 3.3 105 cm (GATE - 91)

23. Consider a silicon sample dopped with 02. Show that the minimum conductivity of an
ND = 1 1015/cm3 donor atoms. Assume that extrinsic silicon sample occurs when it is
the intrinsic carrier concentration slightly p type calculate the electron and hole
ni = 1.5 1010/cm3. If the sample is concentration when where the conductivity is
additionally doped with NA = 1 1018 /cm3 minimum given that n = 1350 cm2/v-sec,
acceptor atoms, the approximate number of p = 450 cm2 /v-sec, and the intrinsic carrier
electrons/cm3 in the sample, at T = 300K, will Concentration, ni = 1.51010 cm-3
be ________. (GATE - 14)(Set4) (GATE - 91)
 Assume:
(i) The mobility of minority and majority
Ten Marks Questions carries to be the same.
(ii) KT = 26mV at room temperature.
01. In a semi conductor at room temperature
(300oK), the intrinsic Carrier concentration
and resistivity are 1.5 1016 / m3 and 2103
-m respectively. It is converted into an
extrinsic semi conductor with a doping
concentration of 1020/m3 for the extrinsic
semiconductor, calculate the
(GATE - 90)
(a) Minority carrier concentration
(b) Resistivity of extrinsic semiconductor
(c) Shift in fermilevel due to doping
(d) minority concentration if intrinsic carrier
concentration doubles