Semiconductor Electronics - Materials, Devices and Simple

Circuits
Case Study Based Questions
Case Study 1
Consider a thin p-type silicon (p-Si) semiconductor wafer. By adding precisely a small
pentavalent impurity, part of the p-Si wafer can be converted into n-Si. There are
several processes by which a semiconductor can be formed. The wafer quantity of
now contains p-region and n-region and a metallurgical junction between p and n-
regions.

Two important processes occur during the formation of a p-n junction: diffusion and
drift. We know that in an n-type semiconductor, the concentration of electrons is
more compared to the concentration of holes. Similarly, in a p-type semiconductor,
the concentration of holes is more than the concentration of electrons. During the
formation of p-n junction and due to the concentration gradient across p and n-sides,
holes diffuse from p-side to n-side (p → n) and electrons diffuse from n-side to p-side
(n → p). This motion of charge carriers gives rise to diffusion current across the
junction.

Read the given passage carefully and give the answer of the following questions:

Q1. How can a p-type semiconductor be converted into n-type semiconductor?

a. By adding pentavalent impurity

b. By adding trivalent impurity

c. By not possible

d. By heavy doping
Q2. Which of the following is true about n-type semiconductor?

a. Concentration of electrons is less than that of holes.

b. Concentration of electrons is more than that of holes.

c. Concentration of electrons is equal to that of holes.

d. None of the above

Q3. Which of the following is true about p-type semiconductor?

a. Concentration of electrons is less than that of holes.

b. Concentration of electrons is more than that of holes.

c. Concentration of electrons is equal to that of holes.

d. None of the above

Q4. Which of the following is the reason about diffusion current?

a. Diffusion of holes from p to n

b. Diffusion of electrons from n to p

c. Both a. and b.

d. None of the above

Solutions
1. (a) By adding pentavalent impurity

2. (b) Concentration of electrons is more than that of holes.

3. (a) Concentration of electrons is less than that of holes.

4. (c) Both a. and b.

Case Study 2
A semiconductor diode is basically a pn-junction with metallic contacts provided at
the ends for the application of an external voltage. It is a two terminal device. When
an external voltage is applied across a semiconductor diode such that p-side is
connected to the positive terminal of the battery and n-side to the negative terminal,
it is said to be forward biased. When an external voltage is applied across the diode
such that n-side is positive and p-side is negative, it is said to be reverse biased. An
ideal diode is one whose resistance in forward biasing is zero and the resistance is
infinite in reverse biasing. When the diode is forward biased, it is found that beyond
forward voltage called knee voltage, the conductivity is very high. When the biasing
voltage is more than the knee voltage, the potential barrier is overcome and the
current increases rapidly with increase in forward voltage. When the diode is reverse
biased, the reverse bias voltage produces a very small current about a few
microamperes which almost remains constant with bias. This small current is reverse
saturation current.

Read the given passage carefully and give the answer of the following questions:

Q1. In the given figure, a diode D is connected to an external resistance R = 100 Ω and
an emf of 3.5 V. If the barrier potential developed across the diode is 0.5 V, the
current in the circuit will be:

a. 40 mA b. 20 mA

c. 35 mA d. 30 mA

Q2. In which of the following figures, the pn diode is reverse biased?

Q3. Based on the V-/ characteristics of the diode, we can classify diode as:

a. bilateral device b. ohmic device

c. non-ohmic device d. passive element

 OR

Two identical pn-junctions can be connected in series by three different methods as

shown in the figure. If the potential difference in the junctions is the same, then the
correct connections will be

a. in the circuits (1) and (2)

b. in the circuits (2) and (3)

c. in the circuits (1) and (3)

d. only in the circuit (1)

The V-I characteristic of a diode is shown in the figure. The ratio of the resistance of
the diode at / = 15 mA to the resistance at V = -10 V is: (CBSE SQP 2023-24)

a. 100 b. 106

c. 10 d. 10-6

Solutions
Case Study 3
A silicon p-n junction diode is connected to a resistor R and a battery of voltage VB
through milliampere (mA) as shown in figure. The knee voltage for this junction diode
is VN = 0.7 V. The p-n junction diode requires a minimum current of 1 mA to attain a
value higher than the knee point on the V-I characteristics of this junction diode.
Assuming that the voltage V across the junction is independent of the current above
the knee point.

A p-n junction is the basic building block of many semiconductors, devices like diodes.
Important process occurring during the formation of a p-n junction are diffusion and
drift. In an n-type semiconductor concentration of electrons is more as compared to
holes. In a p-type semiconductor, concentration of holes is more as compared to
electrons.
Read the given passage carefully and give the answer of the following questions:

Q1. If VB = 5 V, then what will be the maximum value of R so that the voltage V is
above the knee point voltage?

Q2. If VB = 5 V, then what will be the value of R in order to establish a current to 6 mA

in the circuit?

Q3. When the diode is reverse biased with a voltage of 6 V and Vbi = 0.63 V, calculate
the total potential.

Q4. If VB = 6 V, then calculate the power dissipated in the resistor R, when a current of
6 mA flows in the circuit.

Solutions
Case Study 4
Rectifier is a device which is used for converting alternating current or voltage into
direct current or voltage. Its working is based on the fact that the resistance of p-n
junction becomes low when forward biased and becomes high when reverse biased.
A half wave rectifier uses only a single diode while a full wave rectifier uses two
diodes as shown in figures (a) and (b).

Read the given passage carefully and give the answer of the following questions:

Q2. When an input of frequency 200 Hz is fed at input, what will be the ratio of output
frequencies of half wave rectifier and full wave rectifier?

Q3. A p-n junction diode is shown in figure can act as a rectifier. An alternating
voltage source (V) is connected in the circuit. Show the waveform of current (/) in the
resistor (R).

Q4. What will be the fundamental ripple frequency in a half wave rectifier circuit
operating from 50 Hz mains frequency?
Solutions
 Solutions for Questions 5 to 14 are Given Below

Case Study 5
Case Study 6
Case Study 7
Case Study 8
Case Study 9

Case Study 10
Case Study 11

Case Study 12
Case Study 13
Case Study 14

5.
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9.

7.

10.

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14.

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