Electronic Properties of Materials

Semiconductors
Self-Paced Study Guide

5.1 Intrinsic Semiconductors

5.1.1 Silicon Crystal and Energy Band Diagram

! Define what is meant by an intrinsic and what is meant by an extrinsic semiconductor.
? What is the characteristic angle of a tetrahedron ?
? If the average energy of a vibrational bond is equal to 3 k T = 70 meV, why do some bonds
B
break ?
! Draw a two-dimensional illustration of a Ge-crystal.
! Make a table listing the band gaps (eV) of Si, Ge and GaAs.
? What do ‘VB’ and ‘CB’ stand for ?
! Make memory cards, which explain band gap and electron affinity.
? When an electron tunnels to a hole, what does it tunnel through ?
& Remind yourself of the difference between a covalent and an ionic bond.
5.1.2 Electrons and Holes
! Draw illustrations of the photon generation and the thermal generation of electron-hole pairs
on memory cards.
? What adds complexity to photon generation of electron-hole pairs in Si and Ge ?
? What is the elementary charge (in C) ?
! Make a memory card explaining recombination.
5.1.3 Conduction in Semiconductors
? Why do energy bands tilt upward when and electric field is applied to a semiconductor ?
! Sketch the path of an electron in the conduction band moving under the influence of an
external field.
? What are the dimensions (units) of current density, conductivity, and resistivity ?
& Revise your understanding of drift mobility ?
! Make a memory card of the definition of the total current density in a semiconductor.
! Explain the concept of effective mass.
5.1.4 Electron and Hole Concentrations
& Survey this complicated section. Make a plan how to approach this section. What are the key
concepts discussed in this section ? What is the outcome of it ?
! With energy and time at your hand, a pencil and a pad in front of you, reproduce the
mathematical derivations discussed in this section.
! Draw your own version of Figure 5.7 and correlate it to the mathematics.
& Revise details of the Fermi-Dirac function.
? What is E ? F

! Quote an important inherent assumption in the derivation of the expression for the electron
concentration in the conduction band.
! In great detail study the mathematical derivation of the electron concentration in the
conduction band, before you move on. Can you reproduce the main steps from memory ? Make a
list of all the variables in this derivation and write their names next to it. For each, write a short
explanation what they represent.
! Write the equation for hole concentration under that for electron equation. What are the
differences ?

& Go through this complicated section once more and compare your notes with the text. Do you
understand each step ?

! Derive the mass action law, and make a memory card for it.
? What is the physical significance of the mass action law ?
? What are the effects on the mass action law of adding impurities ?
? What is an n-type, what is a p-type semiconductor ? Make memory cards.
! Draw sketches of the Energy Band Diagram for intrinsic, n-type and p-type semiconductors.
& Study the concepts of Electron and Hole Concentrations in a different textbook.
! Look up the room temperature drift mobilities for Ge and calculate the conductivity of Ge as in
Example 5.1. Compare with tabulated values.

5.2 Extrinsic Semiconductors

? What is the valence of B, As, P, Al, N, Sb, In, Si, Ge, respectively ?
! Make memory cards for donor and acceptor atoms.
! Make a memory card quoting the equation for conductivity in n-type and p-type material.
? Can you give a definition of compensation doping in your own words ?
? If a 1cm silicon block has the resistance 239 Ω, is it intrinsic or doped material ?
3

? Which type of doping of silicon (n-type or p-type) produces larger changes in conductivity ?
5.3 Temperature Dependence of Conductivity
! Sketch the band diagram for the three distinct temperature ranges of conductivity and relate the
sketches to a plot of ln (electron concentration) versus 1/T.

5.4 Recombination and Minority Carrier Injection

(may be skipped)

5.5 Diffusion and Conduction Equations

(may be skipped)

5.6 Steady-State Diffusion

(may be skipped)

5.7 Optical Absorption

! Sketch the principles of photon absorption by semiconductors on a memory card.
5.8 Luminescence
? What is the difference between incandescent and luminescent light emission ?
5.9 Schottky Junction
! From memory draw the band diagram of a Schottky contact between a metal and an n-type
semiconductor.
! Explain to a learning partner how a Schottky photodiode works.
5.10 Ohmic Contact
& Look up biographic details about Peltier.
5.11 Direct and Indirect Band Gap
? What is the fundamental difference between silicon and GaAs?

& Randomly go through the Important Terms section and test yourself. Can you make one or
two comments on each term in addition to what is written. In what context is that term important ?

? Sort your memory cards alphabetically. Do all Important Terms show up on one of your memory
cards ?

! Ask a learning partner to question you using your memory cards.