SEMICONDUCTING DEVICES

In the
ENGLISH given diagram, is the diode D forward or reverse biased?
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1

ANS:     The diode D is reverse biased.   

2 In a transistor, doping level in base is increased slightly. How will it affect

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(i) collector current, and (ii) base current ?

ANS:     (i) Collector current will decrease.

  
(ii) Base current will increase.

3 What happens to the width of depletion layer of a p–n junction when it is (i) forward biased,
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(ii) reverse biased?

ANS:     (i) The width of depletion layer decreases.

  
(ii) The width of depletion layer increases.

4 State the reason, why GaAs is most commonly used in making of a solar cell. 1

ANS:     It has higher absorption coefficient.   

5 How does the d.c. current gain of a transistor change, if the width of the base region is
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increased?

  
ANS:     Since therefore, it will decrease due to decrease in collector current.

6 Name the type of biasing of a p-n junction diode so that the junction offers very high
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resistance.

ANS:     Reverse biasing.   

7 Name one impurity each, which when added to pure Si, produces (i) n-type, and (ii) p-type
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semiconductor.

ANS:     (i) for n-type, arsenic.

  
(ii) for p-type, Indium.

8 Why is the conductivity of n-type semi-conductor greater than that of the p-type semi-
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conductor even when both of these have same level of doping?

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 ANS:     In n-type semiconductor charge carriers are electrons and mobility of electrons is
  
more than that of holes.

9 Name two factors on which electrical conductivity of a pure semiconductor at a given

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temperature depends.

ANS:     (i) Band gap (ii) Biasing   

10 Why can’t transistor be used as a rectifier? 1

ANS:     As base is thin and lightly doped, the transistor is not fit for the purpose of
  
rectification.

11 What is a hole? What is its physical significance? 1

ANS:     Hole is the vacancy of electron in valence band. The vacancy with the hole
  
behaves as an apparent free particle with effective positive charge.

12 Draw energy band diagram for an intrinsic semiconductor at T = 0 K. 1

ANS:    

  

13 Draw energy band diagram for an intrinsic semiconductor at T > 0 K. 1

ANS:     

2
    

14 Why are the elemental dopants mainly taken from 13th and 15th group, for doping Silicon
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or Germanium?

ANS:     The dopant has to be such that it does not distort the original pure semiconductor
lattice. So that the sizes of the dopant and the semiconductor atoms should be nearly the   
same.

15 Why is a typical solar cell drawn in fourth quadrant? 1

ANS:     I – V characteristics of solar cell is drawn in the fourth quadrant because a solar
  
cell does not draw current but supplies the same to the load.

16 Why are materials like CdS or CdSe (Eg ~ 2.4 eV) not used for the fabrication of a solar
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cell?

ANS:     Materials like CdS or CdSe (Eg ∼ 2.4 eV) are not used because they will use only
the high energy component of the solar energy for photo-conversion and a significant part   
of energy will be of no use.

17 Which one of the two diodes D1 and D2 in the given figures (i) forward biased, (ii) reverse
biased ?

ANS:   

  D1 is reverse biased and D2 is forward biased.   

18 Draw the output waveform at X, using the given inputs A and B for the logic circuit shown 2

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 below. Also, identify the logic operation performed by this circuit.

ANS: 

  

    

19 Carbon and silicon both have four valence electrons each. How then are they
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distinguished?

ANS:     Although both carbon and silicon have same lattice structure, the four bonding
electrons of carbon and silicon are respectively in the second and third orbits. Thus,
ionisation energy is less for silicon than carbon. Hence, the number of free electrons in   
silicon is more than of carbon. Thus, they can be distinguished on the bases of their
conductivity.

20 Draw energy band diagrams of an n-type and a p-type semiconductor at temperature T > 0
2
K. Mark the donor and acceptor energy levels with their energies.

ANS:   

     

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21 Draw the circuit diagrams showing how a p–n junction diode is
(i) forward biased and 2
(ii) reverse biased. How is the width of depletion layer affected in the two cases?

ANS:     The following figures show the required circuit diagrams.

  

When the p–n junction is forward biased as in Figure (i), the width of the depletion
layer decreases. When an external voltage is applied, the barrier potential is
reduced thereby, decreasing the width of depletion layer. When the p–n junction is
reverse biased as in Figure (ii), the barrier potential increases, thereby, increasing
the thickness of the depletion layer.
22 Explain with the help of a circuit diagram the working of a photodiode. Write briefly how it is
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used to detect the optical signals.

ANS:       

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23 Name the semiconductor device that can be used to regulate an unregulated dc power
supply. With the help of I-V characteristics of this device, explain its working principle.

ANS:     The semiconductor device is a zener diode. It is observed from the graph that for
applied reverse biased voltage (breakdown voltage, VZ) for a large variation of current,   
zener voltage remains constant.

24 Draw the circuit diagram of an illuminated photodiode in reverse bias. How is photodiode
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used to measure light intensity ?

ANS:      

  

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25 Draw a circuit diagram showing the biasing of an LED. State the factor which controls (i)
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wavelength of light, and (ii) intensity of light emitted by the diode.

ANS:     The following circuit shows the biasing of an LED.

(i) The wavelength of emitted light depends upon the nature of the material of diode/band
  
gap.
(ii) Biasing of LED.

26 In only one of the circuits given below, the lamp L lights. Which circuit is it? Give reason for
your answer.

ANS:     In circuit (b), lamp L lights because only in this circuit, the input circuit is forward
  
biased and the output circuit is reverse biased.

27 Identify the equivalent gate for the following circuit and write its truth table.

ANS:     

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28 Write the truth table for the combination of the gates shown. Name the gates used.

ANS:  

  

   

29 Identify the logic gates marked P and Q in the given circuit. Write the truth table for the
combination.

ANS:  

  

   

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30 Identify the equivalent gate represented by the circuit shown in the figure. Draw its logic
symbol and write the truth table.

ANS:  

  

   

31 (i) Identify the logic gates marked P and Q in the given logic circuit.

(ii) Write down the output at X for the inputs A = 0,

B = 0 and A = 1, B = 1.
ANS:   

  

  

32 (i) Identify the logic gates marked P and Q in the given logic circuit.

(ii) Write down the output at X for the inputs A = 0, B = 0 and A = 1, B = 1.

ANS:   

9
      

33 The following figure shows the input waveforms (A, B) and the output waveform (Y) of a
gate. Identify the gate, write its truth table and draw its logic symbol.

ANS: 

  

    

34 (i) Sketch the output waveform from an AND gate for the inputs A and B shown in the 2
figure.

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 (ii) If the output of the above AND gate is fed to a NOT gate, name the gate of the
combination so formed.
ANS:  

   

  

35 Draw the logic symbol of the gate whose truth table is given below:

If this logic gate is connected to NOT gate, what will be the output when (i) A = 0, B = 0
and (ii) A = 1, B = 1? Draw the logic symbol of the combination.

ANS:     

   

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36 Draw the output waveform at X, using the given inputs A and B for the logic circuit shown
below. Also, identify the logic operation performed by this circuit.

ANS:   

  

  

37 What are the basic processes involved in the generation of emf by a solar cell? 2

ANS:     The three basic processes are: generation, separation and collection—   

(i) generation of e-h pairs due to light (with hv > Eg) close to the junction; (ii) separation of
electrons and holes due to electric field of the depletion region. Electrons are swept to n-
side and holes to p-side; (iii) the electrons reaching the n-side are collected by the front
contact and holes reaching p-side are collected by the back contact. Thus, p-side becomes

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 positive and n-side becomes negative giving rise to photovoltage.

38 Name the device D which is used as a voltage regulator in the given circuit and give its
symbol.

ANS:     The device D in the circuit is a zener diode being used as voltage regulator. The
symbol of zener diode is shown below.
  

39 Mention the important considerations required while fabricating a p–n junction diode to be
used as a light emitting diode (LED). What should be the order of band gap of an LED, if it 2
is required to emit light in the visible range?

ANS:     Diode is encapsulated with a transparent cover so that emitted light came out. We
must have heavily doped p–n junction under forward biased. If an LED is required to emit   
light in the visible range, semiconductor must have band gap of 1.8 eV.

40 How is a Zener diode fabricated? What causes the setting up of high electric field even for
small reverse bias voltage across the diode?
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Describe, with the help of a circuit diagram, the working of Zener diode as a voltage
regulator.

ANS:     Zener diode is fabricated by heavily doped p and n types of semiconductors. Due   

to heavy doping the width (d) of depletion region is very thin (< 10–6 m). We know V = Ed.
Here, V = reverse bias voltage, E = electric field. As d is thin for a given value of a low
reverse bias voltage, the electric field of the junction is very high.
Zener as a voltage regulator
The unregulated dc is given as an input through a series resistor RS. The zener is always
kept under reverse bias. As the input voltage increases, the current through resistance RS
and zener increases. This causes more voltage rise in resistance RS keeping  the voltage
across Z the same. This is possible, as at zener voltage, the current increases without any
change in potential. As the input drops, the current through resistance RS and Z drops
causing no change in voltage across zener. Thus, at both higher and lower potential
inputs, a regulated output is obtained.

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41 With what considerations in view, a photodiode is fabricated? State its working with the
help of a suitable diagram.
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Even though the current in the forward bias is known to be more than in the reverse bias,
yet the photodiode works in reverse bias. What is the reason?

ANS:     A photodiode is fabricated with a transparent window so that the light falling on it is
able to generate the electron-hole pairs.

  

When the photodiode is illuminated with light (photons) of energy (hv > Eg) greater
than the energy gap of the semiconductor, it generates electronhole pairs in the
junction region. The junction electric field separates these charges before they
recombine. The electrons move towards n-side and the holes move towards p-side.
The accumulation of charges develops an emf when joined in external circuit and
the current begins to flow.
The fractional change in the minority charge carriers is more than the fractional
change in the majority charge carriers, that is why, the change in current in reverse
bias is more observable than the change in current in the forward bias.
42 Draw V–I characteristics of a p–n junction diode. Answer the following questions, giving
reasons:
(i) Why is the current under the reverse bias almost independent of the applied potential up
to a critical voltage? 3
(ii) Why does the reverse current show a sudden increase at the critical voltage?
Name any semiconductor device which operates under the reverse bias in the breakdown
region.

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ANS:     

(i) The reverse current is not limited by the magnitude of applied voltage, but it is limited
due to the concentration of minority carriers on either side of the junction.
(ii) At the critical voltage, the electric field across the junction is high enough to pull valence
electrons from the host atoms. As a result, a large number of electrons are available for the
conduction which shows a sudden increase of the reverse current at breakdown voltage.

43 (a) Describe the working of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

(b) Which semiconductors are preferred to make LEDs and why? 3
(c) Give two advantages of using LEDs over conventional incandescent low power lamps.

ANS:     (a) An LED is a forward biased p–n junction semiconducting material which emits
a visible light when forward biased, the electrons from the n-region cross the junction and
recombine with the holes in the p-region. During the recombination, their energy difference
is given out in the form of heat and light. The energy of radiation emitted is less than or
equal to Eg.
(b) Materials like gallium phosphide, GaAs, etc. are used. They emit the maximum amount   
of energy in the form of light.
(c) The following are advantages of LEDs over conventional incandescent low power
lamps:
(i) Low operating voltage.
(ii) Low power consumption and quick action.

44 Write the truth table for the following combination of gates: 3

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 ANS:  

   

  

45 (a) Why is a photodiode operated in the reverse bias mode?

(b) For what purpose is a photodiode used? 3
(c) Draw its I-V characteristics for different intensities of illumination.

ANS:     (a) The fractional change in the reverse bias current is more than that of the
forward bias current.
So, the change in reverse bias current with intensity of light is more prominent.
(b) (i) As a detector: It is a fast photon detector having a switching time of the order of
nanoseconds.
(ii) In demodulators and in logic encoder.
(c) The I–V characteristics of a photodiode are as shown:
  

46 What is a filter? Explain the role of capacitor in filtering. 3

ANS:     To get steady dc output from the pulsating voltage normally a capacitor is   
connected across the output terminals (parallel to the load RL). One can also use an

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 inductor in series with RL for the same purpose. Since these additional circuits appear to
filter out the ac ripple and give a pure dc voltage, so they are called filters.
When the voltage across the capacitor is rising, it gets charged. If there is no external load,
it remains charged to the peak voltage of the rectified output. When there is a load, it gets
discharged through the load and the voltage across it begins to fall. In the next half-cycle of
rectified output it again gets charged to the peak value. The rate of fall of the voltage
across the capacitor depends upon the inverse product of capacitor C and the effective
resistance RL used in the circuit and is called the time constant. To make the time constant
large value of C should be large. So capacitor input filters use large capacitors. The output
voltage obtained by using capacitor input filter is nearer to the peak voltage of the rectified
voltage. This type of filter is most widely used in power supplies.

47 The graph of potential barrier versus width of depletion region for an unbiased diode is
shown in A. In comparison to A, graphs B and C are obtained after biasing the diode in
different ways. Identify the type of biasing in B & C and justify your answer.

Explain
the following:
(i) In the active state of the transistor, the emitter base junction acts as a low
resistance while the base collector junction acts as high resistance.
(ii) Output characteristics are controlled by the input characteristics in common
emitter transistor amplifier.
(iii) LEDs are made of compound semiconductor and not by elemental
semiconductors.
ANS:    

    

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48 With the help of energy band diagrams, distinguish between conductors, semiconductors
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and insulators.

ANS:     Refer to Point no. 1 (b) (i), (ii) and (iii) [Important Terms, Definitions and
  
Formulae].

49 Write briefly the important processes that occur during the formation of p–n junction. With
3
the help of necessary diagrams, explain the term ‘barrier potential’.

ANS:     Two important processes involved during the formation of p-n junction are:   
(i) diffusion and (ii) drift.
As soon as p-type semiconductor comes in contact with n-type semiconductor due to the
different concentration gradient of charge carriers, the electrons start moving towards p-
side and the holes start moving from p-side to n-side. This process is called diffusion.
Due to diffusion, the positive space charge region is created on the n-side of the junction
and the negative space charge region is created on the p-side of the junction. This charge
develops an electric field (junction field) from n-side to p-side. This field forces the free
charges to move. This process is called drift.

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 The loss of electrons from n-side and gain of electrons by p-side cause a difference
of potential across the junction, which is called barrier potential. Its polarity is such
that it opposes the flow of majority charges through the junction.
50 (a) Draw the circuit diagram of a full-wave rectifier using p–n junction diode. Explain its
working and show the output and input waveforms.
(b) Show the output waveforms (Y) for the following inputs A and B of (i) OR gate (ii)
NAND gate

ANS:   

     

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51 Draw the circuit arrangement for studying the input and output characteristics of an n–p–n 5
transistor in CE configuration. Draw the typical nature of these input and output
characteristics. Explain how these are obtained. Define the terms (i) input resistance and

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 (ii) current amplification factor.

ANS:     

  

52 (a) Differentiate between three segments of a transistor on the basis of their size and level
of doping.
(b) How is a transistor biased to be in active state?
5
(c) With the help of necessary circuit diagram, describe briefly how n–p–n transistor in CE
configuration amplifies a small sinusoidal input voltage. Write the expression for the ac
current gain.

ANS:’

  

    

53 Draw a simple circuit of a CE transistor amplifier. Explain its working. 5

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 Show that the voltage gain, AV, of the amplifier is given by where βac is the
current gain, RL is the load resistance and ri is the input
resistance of the transistor. What is the significance of the negative sign in the expression
for the voltage gain?

ANS:

     

  

54 The circuit shown in the figure has two oppositely connected ideal diodes connected in 4
parallel. Find the current flowing through each diode in the circuit.

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 ANS:     Since D1 is in reversed biased and offers infinite resistances so no current will flow
through the diode D1. Only diode D2 will conduct as it is in forward biased which offers zero
resistance.   

So, current through D1, i1 = 0 and current through D2,

55 The circuit shown in figure uses a zener diode of 12 V as a voltage regulator to run a 12 V,
6 W tape recorder on 110 V d.c. line. What should be the value of the resistor R, if the d.c.
supply varies from 102 V –115 V?

ANS: 

    

  

56 Output characteristics of an n–p–n transistor in CE configuration is as shown in the figure. 4

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 Determine:
(i) dynamic output resistance
(ii) dc current gain, and
(iii) ac current gain at an operating point VCE = 10 V, when IB = 30 µA.
ANS:  

  

   

57 The V–I characteristic of a silicon diode is as shown in the figure. Calculate the resistance 4

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of the diode at (i) I = 15 mA and (ii) V = – 10 V.

ANS: 

  

    

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