COMPETENCY BASED QUESTIONS

UNIT IX : ELECTRONIC DEVICES

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (01 MARK EACH)
1. Silicon is doped with which of the following to obtain P type semiconductor?
(a) Phosphorus (b) Gallium (c) Germanium (d) Bismuth
Ans. (b)
2. A semiconductor has an electron concentration of 6 × 10 22 per m3 and hole concentration of 8.5 × 10 9 per m3. Then it
is
(a) N type semiconductor (b) P type semi conductor (c) intrinsic semiconductor (d) conductor
Ans. (a)
3. In an unbiased p-n junction, holes diffuse from the p-region to n-region because:
(a) free electrons in the n-region attract them.
(b) they move across the junction by the potential difference.
(c) hole concentration in p-region is more as compared to n-region.
(d) All the above.
Ans. (c)
4.

Ans. (b)
5. A semiconductor is cooled fromT1 K to T2 K Its resistance:
(a) Will decrease (b) Will increase (c) Will first decrease and then increase (d) Will not change
Ans. (b)
6. The depletion layer in the P-N junction region is caused by:
(a) Drift of holes
(b) Diffusion of charge carriers
(c) Migration of impurity ions
(d) Drift of electrons
Ans. (b)
 ASSERTION-REASON QUESTIONS (01 MARK EACH)
For following questions, two statements are given-one labelled Assertion (a) and the other labelled Reason (R).
Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (a), (b), (c)and (d)as given below.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false and R is also false

1. Assertion (a): A pure semiconductor has negative temperature coefficient of resistance.

Reason (R): In a semiconductor on raising the temperature, more charge carriers are released, conductance increases
and resistance decreases.
Ans. (a)
2. Assertion (a): Electron has higher mobility than hole in a semiconductor.
Reason (R): The mass of electron is less than the mass of the hole.
Ans. (a)
3. Assertion (a): When two semiconductors of p and n type are brought in contact, they form p-n junction which act
like a rectifier.
Reason (R): A rectifier is used to convent alternating current into direct current.
Ans. (b)
4. Assertion (a): The diffusion current in a p-n junction is from the p-side to the n-side.
Reason (R): The diffusion current in a p-n junction is greater than the drift current when the junction is in forward
biased.
Ans. (b)

CASE STUDY QUESTIONS (04 MARKS EACH)

1. p-n junction is a semiconductor diode. It is obtained by bringing p-type semiconductor in close contact with n-type
semiconductor. A thin layer is developed at the p-n junction which is devoid of any charge carrier but has immobile
ions. It is called depletion layer. At the junction a potential barrier appears which does not allow the movement of
majority charge carriers across the junction in the absence of any biasing of the junction.
If p-side of p-n junction is connected to positive terminals of external battery and n-side is connected to negative
terminal of external battery, then the p-n junction is said to be forward biased. If n-side of p-n junction is connected to
positive terminals of external battery and p-side is connected to negative terminal of external battery, then the p-n
junction is said to be reverse biased. The p-n junction offers low resistance when forward biased and high resistance
when reverse biased.

(i) In the middle of depletion layer of reverse biased p- n junction, the

(a) Electric field is zero
(b) Potential is zero
(c) Potential is maximum
(d) Electric field is maximum
Ans. (c) Potential is maximum
(ii) The current in the circuit shown in the figure is

(a) 20 A
(b) 2 x 10-3 A
(c) 200 A
(d) 2 x 10-4 A
Ans. (b) 2 x 10-3 A

(iii) The number of majority carriers crossing the junction of diode depends
(a) Concentration of doping impurities
(b) Magnitude of potential barriers
(c) Magnitude of the forward bias voltage
(d) Rate of thermal generation of electron–hole pairs
Ans. (d) Rate of thermal generation of electron–hole pairs

(iv) In an unbiased p-n junction, holes diffuse from the p- region to the n- region
(a) Free electron in the n-region attract them
(b) They move across the junction due to potential difference
(c) Hole concentration in p-region is more as compared to n-region
(d) All of the above
Ans. (c) Hole concentration in p-region is more as compared to n-region

2. From the V-I characteristic of a junction diode we see that it allows current to pass only when it is forward biased.
So, if an alternating voltage is applied across a diode the current flows only in that part of the cycle when the diode is
forward biased. This property is used to rectify alternating voltages and the circuit used for this purpose is called a
rectifier. A semiconductor device is used as a rectifier that allows the voltage to flow in positive direction and very
small value in the reverse direction.
If an alternating voltage is applied across a diode in series with a load, a pulsating voltage will appear across the load
only during the half cycles of the ac input during which the diode is forward biased. Such rectifier circuit is called a
half-wave rectifier.
The circuit using two diodes gives output rectified voltage corresponding to both the positive as well as negative half
of the ac cycle. Hence, it is known as full-wave rectifier.

(i) The peak voltage in the output of a half wave rectifier fed with a sinusoidal signal without filter is 10 V. The DC
component of the output voltage is
(a) 10/√2 V
(b) 20/π V
(c) 10 V
(d) 10/π V
Ans. (d) 10/π V

(ii) When a p-n junction diode is reverse biased then

(a) No Current flows
(b) The depletion region is increased
(c) The depletion region is reduced
(d) Height of potential barrier is reduced
Ans. (b) The depletion region is increased

(iii) Which device is used to convert AC into DC

(a) Condenser
(b) Amplifier
(c) Rectifier
(d) Modulator
Ans. (c) Rectifier

(iv) In a full wave rectifier circuit operating from 50 Hz mains frequency, the fundamental frequency in the ripple
would be
(a) 50 Hz
(b) 100 Hz
(c) 25 Hz
(d) 70.7 Hz
Ans. (b) 100 Hz

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (02 MARKS EACH)

1. (a) In the given diagram, is the junction diode forward biased or reverse biased?

(b) In the given diagram, which bulb out of B1 and B2 will glow and why ?

Ans. (a) The junction diode is reverse biased in the given circuit diagram.
(b) Bulb B1 will glow, because Diode D1 is forward biased.
2. In the given following diagram ‘S’ is a semiconductor. Would you increase or decrease the value of R to keep the
reading of the ammeter A constant when S is heated? Give reason for your answer.

Ans. The value of ‘R’ would be increased since the resistance of ‘S’, a semiconductor decreases on heating.

3. Draw V-I characteristics of a p-n junction diode. Why is the current under reverse bias almost independent of the
applied potential up to a critical voltage?
Ans.

4. Distinguish two points of difference between ‘intrinsic’ and ‘extrinsic’ semiconductors.

Ans.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (03 MARKS EACH)

1. Explain, with the help of a circuit diagram, the working of a p-n junction diode as a half wave rectifier.

Ans. A rectifier is a circuit which converts an alternating current into direct current.
p-n diode as a half wave rectifier. A half wave rectifier consists of a single diode as shown in the circuit diagram. The
secondary of the transformer gives the desired a.c. voltage across A and B.
In the positive half cycle of a.c., the voltage at A is positive, the diode is forward biased and it conducts current.
In the negative half cycle of a.c., the voltage at A is negative, the diode is reversed biased and it does not conduct
current.
Thus, we get output across RL during positive half cycles only.
2. Draw a labelled diagram of a full wave rectifier circuit. State its working principle. Show the input-output
waveforms.

Ans. A full wave rectifier consists of two diodes and special type of transformer known as centre tap transformer as
shown in the circuit. The secondary of transformer gives the desired a.c. voltage across A and B. During the positive
half cycle of a.c. input, the diode D1 is in forward bias and conducts current while D2 is in reverse biased and does not
conduct current. So, we get an output voltage across the load resistor RL. During the negative half cycle of a.c. input,
the diode D1 is in reverse biased and does not conduct current while diode D2 in forward biased and conducts current.
So, we get an output voltage across the load resistor RL.

3. Draw the energy band diagrams for metals(conductors), insulators and semiconductors.
Ans.
4. Distinguish between n-type and p-type semi-conductors on the basis of energy band diagrams. Compare their
conductivities at absolute zero temperature and at room temperature.

Ans.
Distinction between n-type and p-type semiconductors on the basis of energy level diagram:

(i) In n-type semiconductors an extra energy level (called donor energy level) is produced just below the bottom of the
conduction band, while in the p-type semiconductor, this extra energy band (called acceptor energy level) is just above
the top of the balanced band.
(ii) In n-type semiconductors, most of the electrons come from the donor impurity while in p type semiconductor, the
density of holes in the valence band is predominantly due to the impurity in the extrinsic semiconductors.
(iii) At absolute zero temperature conductivities of both types of semi-conductors will be zero.
(iv) For equal doping, an n-type semiconductor will have more conductivity than a p-type semiconductor, at room
temperature.