ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND

INTEGRATED CIRCUITS (EL2006)

LECTURE 2 (21st September, 2010)

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Last Class
 Need of learning EDIC !
 Detailed discussion on organization of course
handout
 Golden rule for research in Electronics

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Today’s class
You will
 Get to see a silicon wafer and appreciate
few facts
 Learn origin of energy bands
 Learn about distinction between Direct
and indirect bandgap SCs
 Charge Carriers in SCs

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Have a careful look at silicon wafer !
Observe some facts
* One side of the wafer is polished, while
the other is rough
** It is important to ensure the ultra
smoothness of that side of the wafer, on
which you finally intend to fabricate
integrated circuits.
***<100> orientation is the most preferred
one, so as to make the devices.
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Distinction between Metals, semiconductors and
insulators

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 Origin of Energy Bands

As isolated atoms are brought together to form a solid,

various interactions occur between neighboring atoms.

So, what should be there along X – axis on

energy band diagram ??

Inter atomic distance Correct

Let us make it more formalize

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We talk of E – K Diagram , where K
stands for wave vector !!

Question arises : What is ‘K’ ??

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K is basically the propagation constant of
the plane wave moving for example in the x
– direction. This plane wave is nothing, but
just the wave function of the electron.

Remind urself the concept of

Schrodinger’s wave equation!
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Wave function
 A function appearing in Schrodinger’s eqn. in wave
mechanics. This is infact a mathematical
expresssion involving the coordinates of a particle in
space.
 If the Schrodinger’s wave eqn. can be solved for a
particle in a given system ( e.g. an electron in an
atom ), then depending on the boundary conditions,
the solution is a set of allowed wave functions of the
particle each corresponding to an allowed energy
level.

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Space dependent wave function for the electron

Ψk(x) = U ( kx, x ) e jkxx

Where U ( kx, x) modulates the wave function according

to the periodicity of the lattice.

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K holds a relationship with momentum.
X – component of the electron momentum
in the crystal is given by

< px > = ħ kx

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Direct and Indirect bandgap Semiconductors :

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Direct Gap Semiconductor : Maximum of
the valence band and minimum of the
conduction band fall at the same place in k-
space. E.g. GaAs
## Can be used for making devices from
which we require light output.

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Indirect Gap Semiconductor: Maximum of
the valence band and minimum of the
conduction band fall different points in k-
space. e.g. Si

## Energy is generally given up as heat to

the lattice rather than as an emitted photon.

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 Interesting !!!!!
Ga As P is a direct band gap semiconductor from
Ga As to about Ga As.55 P.45 and is indirect from
this composition to GaP.

Material is often used in visible LEDs.

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Why we have mentioned only GaAs
,why not Si????

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Problem
 Calculate the photon energy corresponding to
a particular wavelength of 6000 Ao. (1Ao = 10-
10 mts. = 10-8 Cms)

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Charge Carriers in a Semiconductor
# In Semiconductors, due to a negotiable amount of
band gap, the conduction is of course dependent upon
temperature.

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# The promoted electron and the resulting hole
are referred to as an electron-hole pair.
# It is this movement of electrons which results in the
hole being termed as a second charge carrier. The hole
moves randomly through the material, but when an
external potential difference is applied the hole appears
to move from +ve to -ve at room temperature.

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How many electron hole pairs at room
temperature?
# 1.5 x 1010 electron-hole pairs in existence per
cm3 of silicon.

Sounds really a lot !!!!

# But, there are 5 x 1022 atoms of silicon per cm3,

so there are only approximately 3 electron-hole
pairs per 1013 atoms.

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Will any current flow ?
In case, when Valence band is completely filled or
Conduction band is completely empty ?

No !

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Next class :
# Charge carriers in semiconductors
(contd.)
# Effective mass
# Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors

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THANKS !

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