Semiconductor Electronics

Q.1 Ge is doped with As. Due to doping:

(a) the structure of Ge lattice is distorted (b) the number of conduction electrons increases
(c) the number of holes increases (d) the number of conduction electrons decreases
Q.2 Plot a graph showing the variation of current with voltage for the material GaAs. On the graph, mark
the region where: (a) resistance is negative, and
(b) Ohm’s law is obeyed
Q.3 Junction Diode as a Rectifier:
The process of conversion of an ac voltage into a dc voltage is called rectification and the device
which performs this conversion is called a rectifier. The characteristics of a p-n junction diode reveal
that when a p-n junction diode is forward biased, it offers a low resistance and when it is reverse
biased, it offers a high resistance. Hence, a p-n junction diode conducts only when it is forward
biased. This property of a p-n junction diode makes it suitable for its use as a rectifier.
Thus, when an ac voltage is applied across a p-n junction, it conducts only during those alternate
half cycles for which it is forward biased. A rectifier which rectifies only half cycle of an ac voltage is
called a half-wave rectifier and one that rectifies both the half cycles is known as a full-wave
rectifier.
V0
(i) The root-mean square value of an alternating voltage applied to a full-wave rectifier is . Then
√2
the root mean square value of the rectified output voltage is:

V0 V 20 2V 0 V0
(a) (b) (c) (d)
√2 √2 √2 2 √2
(ii) In a full-wave rectifier, the current in each of the diodes flows for:
(a) Complete cycle of the input signal (b) Half cycle of the input signal
(c) Less than half cycle of the input signal (d) Only for the positive half cycle of the input signal
(iii) In a full-wave rectifier:
(a) Both diodes are forward biased at the same time
(b) Both diodes are reverse biased at the same time
(c) One is forward biased and the other is reverse biased at the same time
(d) Both are forward biased in the first half of the cycle and reverse biased in the second half of the
cycle.
(iv) An alternating voltage of frequency of 50 Hz is applied to a half-wave rectifier. Then the ripple
frequency of the output will be:
(a) 100 Hz (b) 50 Hz (c) 25 Hz (d) 150 Hz
(v) A signal, as shown in the figure, is applied to a p-n junction diode. Identify the output across
resistance RL:
Q.4 An n-type semiconducting Si is obtained by doping intrinsic Si with:
(a) Al (b) B (c) P (d) In
Q.5 When a p-n junction diode is subjected to reverse biasing:
(a) the barrier height decreases and the depletion region widens.
(b) the barrier height increases and the depletion region widens.
(c) the barrier height decreases and the depletion region shrinks.
(d) the barrier height increases and the depletion region shrinks.
Q.6 How does the energy gap of an intrinsic semiconductor effectively change when doped with a
(a) trivalent impurity, and (b) pentavalent impurity? Justify your answer in each case.
Q.7 With the help of a circuit diagram, explain the working of a p-n junction diode as a full wave rectifier.
Draw its input and output waveforms.
Q.8 Si is doped with a pentavalent element. The energy required to set the additional electron free is
about:
(a) 0·01 eV (b) 0·05 eV (c) 0·72 eV (d) 1·1 eV
Q.9 Assertion (A): In a semiconductor, the electrons in the conduction band have lesser energy than
those in the valence band.
Reason (R): Donor energy level is just above the valence band in a semiconductor.
Q.10 Suppose a pure Si crystal has 5×1028 atoms m-3. It is doped by 1 ppm concentration of boron.
Calculate the concentration of holes and electrons, given that ni = 1·5×1016 m-3. Is the doped crystal
n-type or p-type?
Q.11 Draw the circuit diagrams for obtaining the V-I characteristics of a p-n junction diode. Explain briefly
the salient features of the V-I characteristics in (i) forward biasing, and (ii) reverse biasing.
Q.12 On the basis of energy band diagrams, distinguish between (i) an insulator, (ii) a semiconductor,
and (iii) a conductor.
Q.13
Q.14 Explain the following, giving the reasons:
a) a doped semiconductor is electrically neutral
b) In a p-n junction under equilibrium, there is no net current
c) In a diode, the reverse current is practically not dependent on the applied voltage
Q.15 A pure Si crystal having 5×1028 atoms m-3 is doped with 1 ppm concentration of antimony. If the
concentration of holes in the doped crystal is found to be 4·5×109 m-3, the concentration of intrinsic
charge carriers in Si crystal is about?
Q.16 (a) Draw the energy band diagram for P-type semiconductor at (i) T=0K and (ii) room temperature.
(b)In the given diagram considering an ideal diode, in which condition will the bulb glow
(i) when the switch is open
(ii) when the switch is closed, Justify your answer.

Q.17 Identify the circuit elements X and Y as shown in the given block diagram and draw the output
waveforms of X and Y.
Q.18 (a) Name the device which utilizes unilateral action of a p-n diode to convert ac into dc.
(b) Draw the circuit diagram of full wave rectifier.
Q.19 In the given figure, a diode D is connected to an external resistance R = 100  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

Q.20 In which of the following figures, the pn diode is reverse biased?

Q.21 Based on the V-I characteristics of the diode, we can classify diode as
(a) bilateral device (b) ohmic device (c) non-ohmic device (d) passive element
Q.22 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)
Q.23 The V-I characteristic of a diode is shown in the figure. The ratio of the resistance of the diode at
I = 15 mA to the resistance at V = -10 V is:
(a) 100 (b) 106 (c) 10 (d) 10-6
Q.24 LED of different kinds:

(i) Why are LEDs made of compound semiconductor and not of elemental semiconductors?
(ii) What should be the order of bandgap of an LED, if it is required to emit light in the visible
range?
(iii) A student connects the blue coloured LED as shown in the figure. The LED did not glow
when switch S is closed. Explain why?

Q.25 In a pure semiconductor crystal of Si, if antimony is added then what type of extrinsic semiconductor
is obtained. Draw the energy band diagram of this extrinsic semiconductor so formed.