Movement of Fermi level(EF) with Temperature

• In a N-type semiconductor, at very high temperature, more number of

electrons and holes are formed.

• Concentration of thermally generated electrons in the conduction band is far

greater than concentration of donor electrons.

• Hence, number of holes become equal to the number of electrons.

• Semiconductor becomes intrinsic and EF returns to the middle of the

forbidden energy gap.

• Hence it is concluded that as temperature of P-type or N-type semiconductor

increases, EF progressilvely moves towards the middle of the forbidden gap.

Dr.G.Veera Senthil Kumar,

Assistant Professor, IMU
 Conductivity of semiconductor with
temperature
• Let’s Consider the effect of increasing the temperature on the
conductivity of semiconductors.
•
• w.k.t conductivity of a semiconductor is
sigma = ni q (μn + μp)
• First let's consider q. As with conductors, as temperature increases,
the charge on each carrier will not change.
• Next consider mobility. The effect of an increase in temperature on
mobility is the same as it was for conductors. With the same
reasoning, we see that the drift velocity will decrease causing the
mobility to decrease.
•
Dr.G.Veera Senthil Kumar,
Assistant Professor, IMU
 Contd...
• Lastly, let's consider what will happen to ni for semiconductors as
temperature increases.
• The electrons in the valance band will gain energy and go into the
higher energy levels in the conduction band where they become
charge carriers. So this term will increase. But it will increase
exponentially.
ni = C exp( – (E – Eave)/kT )
ni = C exp( – Eg/2kT)
• So even though mobility decreases, the exponential increase in the
number of charge carriers will dominate.
• It is concluded that the electrical conductivity of a semiconductor
will increase exponentially with an increase in temperature.
sigma = C exp( – Eg/2kT)

Dr.G.Veera Senthil Kumar,

Assistant Professor, IMU
 Law of mass action
• The law of mass action states that the product of number of
electrons in the conduction band and the number of holes in
the valence band is constant at a fixed temperature and is
independent of amount of donor and acceptor impurity
added.

• Mathematically it is represented as
np = ni2 = constant
where ni is the intrinsic carrier concentration
n is number of electrons in conduction band
p is number of holes in valence band
Dr.G.Veera Senthil Kumar,
Assistant Professor, IMU
 Contd...
• The law of mass action is applied for both intrinsic and
extrinsic semiconductors.
• For extrinsic semiconductor the law of mass action states that
the product of majority carriers and minority carriers is
constant at fixed temperature and is independent of amount
of donor and acceptor impurity added.
• Law of mass action for n-type semiconductor:
nn pn = ni2 = constant
• Law of mass action for p-type semiconductor:
pp np = ni2 = constant

Dr.G.Veera Senthil Kumar,

Assistant Professor, IMU
 Charge densities in N-type and P-type Semiconductor

• Let ND be the concentration of donor atoms in an N-type

semiconductor. Based on the law of electrical neutrality, we
have nN = ND + pN ≈ ND

• Hence, in N-type semiconductor, from mass action law,

pN = ni2/nN ≈ ni2/ND

• Similarly, in P-type semiconductor, pP = NA + nP ≈ NA

• Again from mass action law, nP = ni2/pP

nP = nDr.G.Veera
i /NA
2
Senthil Kumar,
Assistant Professor, IMU
Conductivity in extrinsic semicondutors

Dr.G.Veera Senthil Kumar,

Assistant Professor, IMU
Problem 1

Dr.G.Veera Senthil Kumar,

Assistant Professor, IMU
Contd...

Dr.G.Veera Senthil Kumar,

Assistant Professor, IMU
Problem 2 - Home assignment

Dr.G.Veera Senthil Kumar,

Assistant Professor, IMU
 Problem 3

Dr.G.Veera Senthil Kumar,

Assistant Professor, IMU
 Why Silicon is Preferred in
Semiconductors?
• The energy band gap is 1.21ev, whereas it is 0.785ev for
germanium.

• The thermal pair generation is smaller.

• The formation of SiO2 layer is easy for silicon, which helps in the
manufacture of many components along with integration
technology.

• Si is easily found in nature than Ge.

• Noise is less in components made

Dr.G.Veera Senthilup of Si than in Ge.
Kumar,
Assistant Professor, IMU