Unit 1

Unit 1 : Semiconductor Theory and PN Junction
Devices
Lecture No. Contents to be covered
Lecture 1 Energy bands in silicon, intrinsic and extrinsic silicon , Carrier
transport in silicon diffusion current, drift current, mobility, and
resistivity.
Lecture 2 Generation and recombination of carriers. P-N junction diode

theory
Lecture 3 Zener diode, Zener as a Voltage regulator, Tunnel diode,

Operation, Characteristics
Lecture 4 LED, Schottky diode, Varactor Diode Operation, Characteristics
Lecture 5 Rectifiers Half wave and Fullwave, Filters

Energy bands
• Due to the intermixing of atoms in solids, instead of single energy
levels, there will be bands of energy levels formed.
• These set of energy levels, which are closely packed are called
as Energy bands.
Energy bands in Semiconductors
• Depending upon the size of the forbidden gap, the Insulators, the
Semiconductors and the Conductors are formed.
Characteristics of Semiconductors
• The Forbidden energy gap is very small.
• The forbidden gap for Ge is 0.7eV whereas for Si is 1.1eV.
• A Semiconductor actually is neither an insulator, nor a good
conductor.
• As the temperature increases, the conductivity of a semiconductor
increases.
• The conductivity of a semiconductor will be in the order of 102 mho-
meter
Classification of Semiconductors.
• A semiconductor is a substance whose resistivity lies between the

conductors and insulators.
Intrinsic Semiconductors
A Semiconductor in its extremely pure form is said to be an intrinsic

semiconductor.
The properties of Intrinsic semiconductors :
• The electrons and holes are solely created by thermal excitation.
• The number of free electrons is equal to the number of holes.
• The conduction capability is small at room temperature.
Doping
• In order to increase the conduction capability of intrinsic
semiconductor, it is better to add some impurities.
• This process of adding impurities is called as Doping.
• This doped intrinsic semiconductor is called as an Extrinsic
Semiconductor.
• The impurities added, are generally pentavalent and trivalent
impurities.
• Pentavalent Impurities :Bismuth, Antimony, Arsenic, Phosphorus
• Trivalent Impurities : Gallium, Indium, Aluminum, Boron
Extrinsic Semiconductor
• An impure semiconductor, which is formed by doping a pure

semiconductor is called as an Extrinsic semiconductor.
• There are two types of extrinsic semiconductors depending upon the
type of impurity added.
• N-type extrinsic semiconductor
• P-Type extrinsic semiconductor.
N-type Extrinsic semiconductor
• Formed by adding a small amount of Pentavalent impurity.

• Conduction takes place through electrons.
• Here electrons are majority carriers and the holes are minority
carriers.
P-type extrinsic semiconductor
• Formed by adding a small amount of Trivalent impurity.

• Conduction takes place through Holes.
• Here holes are majority carriers and the electrons are minority
carriers.
Zener Diode
• This is a special kind of diode which permits current flow not only in
forward direction, but also in reverse direction.
• A normal diode, when operated in reverse bias, gets damaged if the
reverse current above a certain value is passed through it. This
“certain value” is called as the Breakdown voltage.
• This diode allows the reverse current to pass through it, once this
breakdown voltage is exceeded.
• That breakdown voltage is called as Zener Voltage.
V-I Characteristics of a Zener diode
• The V-I Characteristics of a Zener diode are common for any diode
when operated in forward bias.
• The point where the bent is shown in the reverse bias operation, is
the Zener breakdown voltage, after which the diode allows high
reverse currents through it. This Zener voltage is indicated by VZ.
Applications of Zener diode
• Mostly used as a Voltage Regulator.

• Provides fixed reference voltage in transistor biasing circuits.
• For peak clipping or limiting in wave shaping circuits.
• As a Surge protector in many circuits.
• For meter protection against damage from accidental applications.
• Switching Diode
Zener Diode as a Voltage Regulator
• Zener Diodes can be used to produce a stabilised voltage output with

low ripple under varying load current conditions.
• By passing a small current through the diode from a voltage source,
via a suitable current limiting resistor (RS), the zener diode will
conduct sufficient current to maintain a voltage drop of Vout.
Zener Diode as a Voltage
Regulator Contd….
• Resistor, RS is connected in series with the zener diode to limit the
current flow through the diode.
• The zener diode is connected in reverse biased and will be operating in
its breakdown condition.
• With no load connected to the circuit, the load current will be zero,
( IL = 0 ), and all the circuit current passes through the zener diode which
in turn dissipates its maximum power.
• When load is connected in parallel with the zener diode, the voltage
across RL is always the same as the zener voltage, ( VR = VZ )
• The supply voltage VS must be greater than VZ.
Tunnel Diode
• If the impurity concentration of a normal PN junction is highly
increased, this Tunnel diode is formed.
• It is also known as Esaki diode, after its inventor.
• When the impurity concentration in a diode increases, the width of
depletion region decreases.
• When this concentration is further increased, due to less width of the
depletion region ,Charge carriers penetrate through the potential
barrier, instead of climbing over it.
• This penetration can be understood as Tunneling and hence the
name, Tunnel diode.
• The Tunnel diodes are low power devices and should be handled with
care as they easily get affected by heat and static electricity.
Applications of Tunnel diode
• Used as a high-Speed Switching device

• Used as a memory storage device
• Used in Microwave oscillators
• Used in relaxation oscillators
Light Emitting Diodes (LED )
• This is also a normal PN junction diode except that instead of silicon

and germanium, the materials like gallium arsenide, gallium arsenide
phosphide are used in its construction.
Operation of LED
• Like a normal PN junction diode, this is connected in forward bias
condition so that the diode conducts.
• The conduction takes place in a LED when the free electrons in the
conduction band combine with the holes in the valence band.
• This process of recombination emits light is called
as Electroluminescence.
• The color of the light emitted depends upon the gap between the
energy bands.
Applications of LED
In Displays
• Especially used for seven segment display
• Digital clocks
• Microwave ovens
• Traffic signaling
• Display boards in railways and public places
• Toys
In Electronic Appliances
• Stereo tuners
• Calculators
• DC power supplies
• On/Off indicators in amplifiers
• Power indicators
Applications of LED
Commercial Use
• Infrared readable machines
• Barcode readers
• Solid state video displays
Optical Communications
• In Optical switching applications
• For Optical coupling where manual help is unavailable
• Information transfer through FOC
• Image sensing circuits
• Burglar alarms
• In Railway signalling techniques
• Door and other security control systems
Schottky Diode
• This is a special type of diode in which a PN junction is replaced by a

metal semiconductor junction.
• The P-type semiconductor in a normal PN junction diode is replaced
by a metal and N-type material is joined to the metal.
• This combination has no depletion region between them.
Operation of Schottky Diode
• When no voltage is applied or when the circuit is unbiased, the

electrons in the N-type material has lower energy level than the ones
in the metal.
• If the diode is then forward biased, these electrons in the N-type gain
some energy and move with some higher energy.
• Hence these electrons are called as Hot Carriers
Applications
• Used as a detector diode

• Used as a Power rectifier
• Used in RF mixer circuits
• Used in power circuits
• Used as clamping diodes
Varactor Diode
• The Varactor diode is a special case diode that is operated in reverse bias,
where the junction capacitance is varied.
• The Varactor diode is also called as Vari Cap or Volt Cap
Operation of Varactor Diode
• If the reverse voltage applied is increased, the width of the dielectric
region increases, which reduces the junction capacitance.
• When the reverse voltage decreases, the width of the dielectric
decreases, which increases the capacitance.
• If this reverse voltage is completely null, then the capacitance will be
at its maximum.
Applications
• Used as a Voltage variable capacitor.
• Used in variable LC tank circuit.
• Used as Automatic frequency control.
• Used as Frequency Modulator.
• Used as RF Phase shifter.
• Used as frequency multiplier in local oscillator circuits.

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Unit 1 : Semiconductor Theory and PN Junction

Lecture 2 Generation and recombination of carriers. P-N junction diode

Lecture 3 Zener diode, Zener as a Voltage regulator, Tunnel diode,

Lecture 4 LED, Schottky diode, Varactor Diode Operation, Characteristics

Lecture 5 Rectifiers Half wave and Fullwave, Filters

• A semiconductor is a substance whose resistivity lies between the

A Semiconductor in its extremely pure form is said to be an intrinsic

• An impure semiconductor, which is formed by doping a pure

• Formed by adding a small amount of Pentavalent impurity.

• Formed by adding a small amount of Trivalent impurity.

• Mostly used as a Voltage Regulator.

• Zener Diodes can be used to produce a stabilised voltage output with

• Used as a high-Speed Switching device

• This is also a normal PN junction diode except that instead of silicon

• This is a special type of diode in which a PN junction is replaced by a

• When no voltage is applied or when the circuit is unbiased, the

• Used as a detector diode

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