MM406: Semiconductor Devices and Processing

Tutorial 1.

1. An electron is bound in a one-dimensional infinite potential well with a width of 100 A.

Determine the electron energy levels for n = 1. 2. 3

2. The Fermi energy for copper at T = 300 K is 7.0 eV. The electrons in copper follow the Femi-
Dirac distribution function. (a) Find the probability of an energy level at 7.15 eV being occupied
by an electron. (b) Repeat the question for T = 1000 K. (Assume that EF is a constant.) (c)
Repeat part (a) for E = 6.85 eV and T = 300 K. (d) Determine the probability of the energy state
at E = EF being occupied at T = 300 K and at T = 1000 K.

3. An electron is traveling in the negative r direction with a kinetic energy of 0.015 eV. Write the
equation of a plane wave that describes this particle.

4. Sketch the Fermi–Dirac distribution f(E) at room temperature (300 K) and at a lower
temperature such as 150 K. (Qualitative hand drawing.)

5. A one-dimensional infinite potential well with a width of 12 A contains an electron. (a)

Calculate the first two energy levels that the electron may occupy. (b) If an electron drops from
the second energy level to the first, what is the wavelength of the photon that might be
emitted.

6. Calculate the intrinsic carrier concentration at T = 200, 400 and 600 K for (a) silicon, (b)
germanium, and (c) gallium arsenide.

7. The intrinsic carrier concentration in silicon is to be no greater than n, = 1 x 1012 cm-3. Assume
Eg = 1.12 eV. Determine the maximum temperature allowed for the silicon.

8. Plot the intrinsic carrier concentration, ni for a temperature range of 200 < T < 600 K for (a)
silicon, (b) germanium, and (c) gallium arsenide. (Use a log scale for ni)

9. The carrier distributions in the conduction and valence bands were noted to peak at energies
close to the band edges. (Refer to carrier distribution in Fig. 1–20.) Using Boltzmann
approximation, show that the energy at which the carrier distribution peaks is Ec + kT/2 and Ev
– kT/2 for the conduction and valence bands, respectively.

10. A semiconductor is doped with impurity concentrations Nd and Na such that Nd – Na >> ni and
all the impurities are ionized. Determine n and p.

11. In a silicon sample at T = 300 K, the Fermi level is located at 0.26 eV (10 kT) above the intrinsic
Fermi level. What are the hole and electron concentrations? What are the hole and electron
concentration at T = 800 K, and where approximately is EF? Comment on your results.

12. The electron concentration in silicon at T = 300 K is no = 5 x I04 cm-3. (a) Determine po. Is this n-
or p-type material? (b) Determine the position of the Fermi level with respect to the intrinsic
Fermi level.
13. The electron and hole concentrations as a function of energy in the conduction hand and
valence band peak at a particular energy is as discussed in the class. Consider silicon and
assume EC - EF = 0.20 eV Determine the energy, relative to the band edges, at which the
concentrations peaks.

14. The Fermi level in n-type silicon at T = 300 K is 245 meV below the conduction band and 200
meV below the donor level. Determine the probability of finding an electron (a) in the donor
level and (b) in a state in the conduction band kT above the conduction band edge.
15. Determine the equilibrium electron and hole concentrations in silicon for the following
conditions:
(a) T=300K, Nd=2x 1015 cm-3 , Na =0
(b) T = 300 K. Nd = 0, Na= 1016 cm-3
(c) T = 300K. Nd = Na = 1015 cm-3
(d) T = 400K. Nd = 0, Na= 1014 cm-3
(e) T = 500 K. Nd = 1014 cm-3, Na= 0

16. In silicon at T = 300 K. we have experimentally found that no = 4.5 x 104 cm-3 and Nd = 5 x 1015
cm-3. (a) Is the material n type or p type? (6) Determine the majority and minority carrier
concentrations. (c) What types and concentrations of impurity atoms exist in the material?
17. A special semiconductor material is to he "designed." The semiconductor is to be n-type and
doped with 1 x 1015 cm-3 donor atoms. Assume complete ionization and assume Na = 0. The
effective density of states functions are given by Nc = Nv = 1.5 x 1019 cm-3and are independent
of temperature. A particular semiconductor device fabricated with this material requires the
electron concentration to be no greater than 1.01 x 1015 cm-3at T = 400 K. What is the minimum
value of the bandgap energy?
18. Silicon at T = 300 K is doped with acceptor atoms at a concentration of Na = 1015 cm-3 (a)
Determine EF (h) Calculate the concentration of additional acceptor atoms that must be added
to move the Fermi level a distance kT closer to the valence-band edge.
19. (a) Determine the position of the Fermi level with respect to the intrinsic Fermi level in silicon
at T = 300 K that is doped with phosphorus atoms at a concentration of 1015 cm-3 (b) Repeat
part (a) if the silicon is doped with boron atoms at a concentration of 1015 cm-3?
20. Consider a semiconductor in which no=1015 cm-3and ni=1010 cm-3. Assume that the excess-
carrier lifetime is 10-6 s. Determine the electron-hole recombination rate if the excess-hole
concentration is 5 x 1013 cm-3.
21. A semiconductor, in thermal equilibrium, has a hole concentration of po= 1016 cm-3 and an
intrinsic concentration of ni=1010 cm-3. The minority carrier lifetime is 2 x 10-7 s. (a) Determine
the thermal-equilibrium recombination rate of electrons. (b) Determine the change in the
recombination rate of electrons if an excess electron concentration of 1012 cm-3 exists.
22. An n-type silicon sample contains a donor concentration of Nd = 1016 cm-3. The minority carrier
hole lifetime is found to be 20 µs. (a) What is the lifetime of the majority carrier electrons? (b)
Determine the thermal equilibrium generation rate for electrons and holes in this material. (c)
Determine the thermal equilibrium recombination rate for electrons and holes in this material.
23. (a) A sample of semiconductor has a cross-sectional area of 1 cm2 and a thickness of 0.1 cm.
Determine the number of electron-hole pairs that are generated per unit volume per unit time
by the uniform absorption of 1 watt of light at a wavelength of 6300 A. Assume each photon
creates one electron-hole pair. (b) If the excess minority carrier lifetime is 10 µs, what is the
steady-state excess carrier concentration?
 24. (a) Calculate Vbi in a silicon pn junction at T = 300 K for (a) Nd = 1015 cm-3and Na = (i) 1015, (ii)
1016 (iii) 1017, (iv) 1018 cm-3. (b) Repeat part (a) for Nd = 1018 cm-3.
25. (a) Plot the built-in potential barrier for a symmetrical (Na = Nd) silicon pn junction at T = 300 K
over the range 1014 ≤Na = Nd ≤ 1019 cm-3.
26. An abrupt silicon pn junction at zero bias has dopant concentrations of Na = 1017 cm-3 and Nd =
5 x1015 cm-3 at T = 300 K. (a) Calculate the Fermi level on each side of the junction with respect
to the intrinsic Fermi level. (b) Sketch the equilibrium energy- band diagram for the junction
and determine Vbi from the diagram and the results of part (a). (d) Determine xn, xp and peak
electric field for this junction.
27. A silicon abrupt junction in thermal equilibrium at T = 300K is doped such that Ec-EF = 0.21 eV in
the n region and EF-EV = 0.18 eV in the p region. (0) Draw the energy band diagram of the pn
junction. (b) Determine the impurity doping concentrations in each region.
28. A particular type of junction is an n region adjacent to an intrinsic region. This junction can he
modeled as an n-type region to a lightly doped p-type region. Assume the doping
concentrations in silicon at T = 300K are of Na = 1012 cm-3 and Nd = 1016 cm-3 . For zero applied
bias, determine Vbi , xn, xp and peak electric field for this junction. Sketch the electric field
versus distance through the junction.
29. A silicon crystal having a cross-sectional area of 0.001 cm2 and a length of 10-3 cm is connected
at its ends to a 10 V battery. At T = 100 K, we want a current of 100 mA in the silicon. Calculate:
(a) the required resistance R. (h) the required conductivity (c) the density of donor atoms to be
added to achieve this conductivity. and (d) the concentration of acceptor atoms to be added to
form a compensated p-type material with the conductivity given from part (b) if the initial
concentration of donor atom is Nd = 5 x1015 cm-3.
30. A perfectly compensated semiconductor is one in which the donor and acceptor impurity
concentrations are exactly equal. Assuming complete ionization, determine the conductivity of
silicon at T = 300 K in which the impurity concentrations are (a) Na = Nd = 1014 cm-3, and (b) Na =
Nd = 1018 cm-3 .
31. An n-type silicon sample has a resistivity of 5 Ω-cm at T = 300 K. (a) What is the donor impurity
concentration? (h) What is the expected resistivity at (i) T = 200 K and (ii) T = 400 K.
32. (a) The electron concentration in a semiconductor is given by n = 1016 x(1 - x/L) cm-3 for 0 ≤x≤L.
where L = 10 µm. The electron mobility and diffusion coefficient µn= 1000 cm2V-1s-1 and Dn =
25.9 cm2s-1. An electric field is applied such that the total electron current density is a constant
over the given range of x and is Jn = -80 A/cm2. Determine the required electric field versus
distance function. (b) Repeat part (a) if Jn = -20 A/cm2

Review Questions:

1. What is the physical meaning of Schrodinger's wave function?

2. What is meant by a probability density function?
3. What is meant by quantized energy levels?
4. What is the Kronig-Penney model'?
5. State two results of using the Kronig-Prnney model with Schrodinger's wave equation.
6. What is effective mass?
7. What is a direct bandgap semiconductor? What is an indirect bandgap semiconductor?
8. What is the meaning of the density of states function?
9. What was the mathematical model used in deriving the density of states function?
10. In general, what is the relation between density of states and energy?
11. What is the meaning of the Fermi-Dirac probability function?
12. What is the Fermi energy?
13. Under what condition would the intrinsic Fermi level be at the midgap energy?
14. What is a donor impurity? What is an acceptor impurity?
15. What is meant by complete ionization?
16. What is meant by freeze-out?