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Edc - Day 6

The document discusses drift current and diffusion current in semiconductors. Drift current is the movement of charge carriers due to an applied electric field, while diffusion current is the flow of carriers from high to low concentration regions. Key differences are that drift current obeys Ohm's Law and depends on the electric field polarity, while diffusion current obeys Fick's Law and depends on carrier concentration slopes.

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42 views2 pages

Edc - Day 6

The document discusses drift current and diffusion current in semiconductors. Drift current is the movement of charge carriers due to an applied electric field, while diffusion current is the flow of carriers from high to low concentration regions. Key differences are that drift current obeys Ohm's Law and depends on the electric field polarity, while diffusion current obeys Fick's Law and depends on carrier concentration slopes.

Uploaded by

Poonthalir
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

1.3. DRIFT CURRENT AND DIFFUSION CURRENT DENSITIES


Drift Current
Drift current can be defined as the charge carrier’s moves in a semiconductor
because of the electric field. There are two kinds of charge carriers in a semiconductor
like holes and electrons. Once the voltage is applied to a semiconductor, then electrons
move toward the +Ve terminal of a battery whereas the holes travel toward the –Ve
terminal of a battery.
Here, holes are positively charged carriers whereas the electrons are negatively
charged carriers. Therefore, the electrons attract by the +Ve terminal of a battery whereas
the holes attract by the -Ve terminal of a battery.

Fig:1.3.1 Drift Current


Diffusion Current
The diffusion current can be defined as the flow of charge carriers within a
semiconductor travels from a higher concentration region to a lower concentration region.
A higher concentration region is nothing but where the number of electrons present in the
semiconductor. Similarly, a lower concentration region is where the less number of
electrons present in the semiconductor. The process of diffusion mainly occurs when a
semiconductor is doped non-uniformly.

EC8252-ELECTRONIC DEVICES
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Fig:1.3.2 Diffusion Current


In an N-type semiconductor, when it is doped non-uniformly then a higher
concentration region can be formed at the left side whereas the lower concentration region
can be formed at the right side. The electrons in the higher concentration region are more
in the semiconductor so they will experience a repulsive force from each other.
Difference between Drift Current and Diffusion Currents
Drift Current Diffusion Current
The movement of charge carriers is The diffusion current can be
because of the applied electric field is occurred because of the diffusion in
known as drift current. charge carriers.
It requires electrical energy for the Some amount of external energy is
process of drift current. enough for the process of diffusion
current.
This current obeys Ohm’s Law. This current obeys Fick’s Law.
The direction of charge carriers in the For charge carriers, the densities of
semiconductor is reverse to each diffusion are reverse in symbol to
other. each other.
The direction of the drift current, as The direction of this current can be
well as the electric field, will be the decided by the concentration of the
same. carrier slope.
It depends on the permittivity It is independent of permittivity
The direction of this current mainly The direction of this current mainly
depends on the polarity of the applied depends on the charge within the
electric field. concentrations of carrier

EC8252-ELECTRONIC DEVICES

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