QUESTION : Forbidden energy gap of a semiconductor

A.) increases with temperature

B.) decreases with temperature

C.) slightly increase, then decrease with temperature

D.) does not change with temperature

SOLUTION
HINT : Forbidden energy gap refers to the energy difference between the upper energy level of valence band and
the lower energy level of the conduction band. For semi-conductors, the forbidden energy gap lies in the range of
0.25 eV to 2.5 eV which is very low compared to that of insulators. This energy gap depends on temperature.

COMPLETE STEP BY STEP ANSWER : The forbidden energy gap, also known as band gap, is the difference between
conduction band energy level and valence band energy level. Electrons do not exist in between this gap, according
to quantum mechanics, but, once the required voltage is applied across the substance, the electrons jump from
the valence bond to conduction band. The experimental expression for the dependency of forbidden energy gap of
a semi-conductor on temperature is :

αT2
Eg (T) = Eg (0) -
T +β ................................................................... eq(1)
where Eg(0) is the forbidden energy gap at 0 Kelvin and α and ß are specific parameters which vary for different
semiconductors. If we carefully analyze this equation treating it as a function of temperature and differentiate it
with respect to temperature, the result comes out to be

d  Eg  T     T + β  .2T - T2 .1 
 α  
dT   T + β  
2

................................................................. eq(2)
which is negative for all permissible values of T (since the temperature is in kelvin, no negative value of T is
achievable). As we know that if the first order differential of a function is negative the function is monotonically
decreasing in its permissible domain, thus as temperature increases, the value of forbidden energy gap decreases.

Thus, (B) is the correct option.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION : A function is said to be monotonic if it is entirely increasing or decreasing in its

entire domain.

A function y=f(x) is monotonically increasing for all x in its domain iff for any two particular value of x, say X 1 and X2
such that X2 > X1 , f(X2) > f(X1).
Similarly, a function y=f(x) is monotonically decreasing for all x in its domain iff for any two particular value of x,
say X1 and X2 such that X2 > X1 , f(X2) < f(X1).

To test whether a function is monotonically increasing or decreasing, we differentiate it once with respect to the
given parameter, if the differential comes out to be positive or negative for the entire interval, the function is
increasing or decreasing in its entire domain, respectively.

In our case, from eq(2), the first differential comes out to be negative. This implies that the Forbidden energy gap
which is a function of temperature is a decreasing function in temperature variable i.e. with increasing
temperature, the Forbidden energy gap decreases [for T 2 > T1 , Eg(T2) < Eg(T1) ; according to the definition of
decreasing function].

NOTE : We can analyze the given question qualitatively, indeed. With the increasing temperature, the Forbidden
energy gap decreases because the crystal lattice expands and the interatomic distance increases due to amplified
vibrations of the atoms. Due to this, the potential experienced by the electrons in the semi-conductor decreases
and consequently the Forbidden energy gap decreases.