Applied Physics Unit 2
Applied Physics Unit 2
Applied Physics Unit 2
UNIT 2
Semiconductor Physics
Semiconductor Physics
Out line
• Classification of materials:
• Types of semiconductors
• Intrinsic semiconductor – Expression for carrier concentration
• Extrinsic semiconductor
• P type semiconductor - Expression for carrier concentration
• N type semiconductor - Expression for carrier concentration
• Direct Bandgap and Indirect Bandgap Semiconductors
• Diffusion current and Drift current
• PN Junction Diode - V- I characteristics
• Zener diode
• Hall Effect
Classification of materials
Based on band theory materials are classified into three types.
1. Conductors
2. Insulators
3. Semiconductors
Conductors
• Material that easily conducts electrical current.
• The best conductors are single-element material (e.g copper, silver, gold, aluminum)
• Only one valence electron very loosely bound to the atom- free electron.
• On increase of temperature the conductivity decreases.
Insulators
• material does not conduct electrical current
• valence electron are tightly bound to the atom
• On increase of temperature conducting property of insulators increases.
Semiconductors
• Material between conductors and insulators in its ability to conduct electric current
• In its pure (intrinsic) state is neither a good conductor nor a good insulator
• Most common semiconductor- silicon(Si), germanium(Ge) which Contains four valence
electrons.
Silicon atom:
• 4 valence electrons
Germanium atom:
F(E) = =
For all possible temperatures E-EF >>KT, so neglecting the term unity
dn = dE
Since E starts at the bottom of the conduction band Ec
Density of holes in valence band: .
Expression for intrinsic carrier concentration
We know that
Expression for Fermi level and its variation with temperature:
In an intrinsic semiconductor number of electrons in conduction
band is equal to the number of holes in valence band
Semiconducting materials in which the charge carriers are due to impurity atoms
are called extrinsic semiconductors.
They are obtained by doping an intrinsic semiconductor with impurity atoms.
By adding impurity atoms to intrinsic Si or Ge to improve the conductivity of
the semiconductor
Based on the type of impurity added they are classified into two types
1. N - Type semiconductor
2. P - Type semiconductor
Extrinsic semiconductors
Sb
impurity
atom
B
impurity
atom
The valence band electrons move towards the acceptor level and occupy the vacant
acceptor levels resulting in holes in the valence band.
Drift current is due to the motion of charge carriers due to the force exerted
on them by an electric field.
The total current in a semiconductor is the sum of drift current and diffusion current.
The electron and hole current densities are given by,
Jn(total) = Jn Diffusion + Jn Drift
As more electrons flow into the depletion region, the no. of +ve ion is
reduced.
As more holes flow into the depletion region on the other side of pn
junction, the no. of –ve ions is reduced.
Reduction in +ve & -ve ions – causes the depletion region to narrow.
V-I Characteristics of PN Junction Diode in forward Bias
Reverse Bias
In the reverse bias condition, the positive terminal of the battery is connected to
the N-type material and the negative terminal of the battery is connected to the
P-type material.
Reverse Bias:
+ side of bias pulls the free electrons in the n-region away from pn junction cause add. +ve ions
are created, widening the depletion region.
In the p-region, e- from – side of the voltage source enter as valence electrons e- and move
from hole to hole toward the depletion region, then created add. –ve ions.
As the depletion region widens, the availability of majority carriers decrease.
V-I Characteristics of PN Junction Diode in Reverse Bias
I-V Characteristics of the P-N Junction Diode
Energy Diagram of a P-N Junction Diode:
Energy level Diagrams
Application of PN junction diode:
The diode finds number of applications:
• Rectification: The conversion of alternating current into direct current is known as
rectification. A p-n junction diode allows electric current when it is forward biased and
blocks electric current when it is reverse biased. This action of p-n junction diode
enables us to use it as a rectifier.
•Diodes are used in clamping circuits for DC restoration.
•Diodes are used in clipping circuits for wave shaping.
•Diodes are used in voltage multipliers.
•Diodes are used as switch in digital logic circuits used in
computers.
•Diodes are used in demodulation circuits.
•Laser diodes are used in optical communications.
•Light Emitting Diodes are used in digital displays.
•Diodes are used in voltage regulators.
Zener diode
A Zener diode is a specially designed, highly doped PN junction diode.
The Zener diode allows current to flow in the forward direction in the same
manner as an ideal diode.
It also permits current to flow in the reverse direction when the voltage is
above a certain value known as breakdown voltage.
Symbol of Zener diode
Zener diode:
The working principle of zener diode lies in the cause of breakdown for a diode
in reverse biased condition.
Zener breakdown
Avalanche breakdown
Working of diode
Circuit symbol of Zener diode