Unit IV: ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND APPLICATIONS

Topic 1: Semiconductors – Properties and Classification

Presentation by
Dr. Rajasi Mandal
Assistant Professor
EEE
SSN College of Engineering
 Session Objectives

 To get introduced to the basics of electronics engineering

 To understand about semiconductors, its properties and doping
 Session Outcomes
 Ability to understand the behavior of semiconductor materials and the
effect of temperature and impurities on semiconductors
 Ability to understand intrinsic and extrinsic (n-type and p-type)
semiconductors
 Session Outline
 Classification of Materials – Conductor, Semiconductor, and
Insulator
 Semiconductor and its properties
 Bandgap
 Types – Intrinsic/Pure/Undoped and Extrinsic/Doped Semiconductors
 Doping – n-type and p-type
Classification of Materials
 Semiconductor and its Properties
• Semiconductors are materials which have a conductivity less than conductors
and more than nonconductors or insulators.
• Semiconductors can be pure elements such as silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), or
compounds such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), cadmium selenide (CdTe).
• The resistivity of semiconductors is less than insulators but higher than conductors.
• The semiconductors have 4 electrons in their valance band (last orbit).
• At 0K (absolute zero) temperature, pure semiconductors have no free electron, i.e. at
0K, semiconductors behave as insulators.
• At room temperature, few of the electrons in the valence band gain enough energy to
jump into the conduction band whereas the others remain in the valence band. Hence,
the valence band is partially empty and the conduction band is partially filled.
• As the temperature is increased, the resistance of semiconductors decreases, and
conductivity increases. Therefore, semiconductors show a negative temperature
coefficient of resistance.
• The conductivity of the semiconductors increases when impurities are added.
• Applications of Semiconductors: transistors, solar cells, light-emitting diodes
(LEDs), quantum dots, and digital and analog integrated circuits, etc.
 Band Gap / Energy Gap / Forbidden Gap
• Band Gap: The energy gap between the valence band and the conduction band is
termed as band gap or energy gap or forbidden energy level. This amount of
energy is required by an electron to jump from the valence band to the conduction
band.
• Band gap is denoted by Eg and it is generally expressed in eV.
• It is approximately 1.1eV for silicon (Si) and 0.7eV for germanium (Ge).
• The energy gap in an silicon atom is more than germanium atom because electrons
are more tightly bound to the nucleus of silicon compared to the electrons of
germanium atom. This happens due to the smaller size of the silicon atom.
Fermi Level and Fermi Energy
•Fermi Level: The highest energy level that an
electron can occupy at the absolute zero temperature
is known as the Fermi Level.
•The Fermi level lies between the valance band and
conduction band because at absolute zero
temperature, the electrons are all in the lowest energy
state.
•Fermi Energy (Ef): The value of Fermi level at
absolute zero temperature is called Fermi Energy.
•Fermi level and Fermi energy change with change in
Conductor Semiconductor Insulator temperature or doping.
Types of Semiconductors
 Doping
• The purpose of doping is to improve the electrical conductivity of a pure semiconductor.
• Doping is the process of intentional addition of impurities into an intrinsic (or undoped or
pure) semiconductor in order to alter its electrical, optical, and structural properties.
• The doped material is called an extrinsic semiconductor.
• The impurities added in the pure semiconductor for doping is known as the dopant.
• The dopant atoms used for n-type doping is called donor atoms [because they are donating
free electrons]. E.g. – any pentavalent atom like phosphorous (P), arsenic (As), antimony
(Sb), etc.
• The dopant atoms used for p-type doping is called acceptor atoms. E.g. – any trivalent atom
like aluminum (Al), boron (B), gallium (Ga), etc.
• Doping concentration gives an indication of to the amount of impurity atoms intentionally
added per unit volume of a semiconductor material for modification of its electrical
properties.
Types of Semiconductors
 Summary
• Semiconductors are materials which have a conductivity less than
conductors and more than nonconductors or insulators.
• Semiconductors show a negative temperature coefficient of resistance. With
increase in temperature the conductivity of semiconductor increases.
• The conductivity of the semiconductors increases when impurities are
added.
• The process of intentional addition of impurities into an intrinsic (or
undoped or pure) semiconductor in order to alter its electrical, optical, and
structural properties is known as doping.
• The pure semiconductors are called intrinsic semiconductor.
• The doped semiconductors are called extrinsic semiconductors.
• The pentavalent dopant atoms used for n-type doping, for e.g. –
phosphorous (P), arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), etc.
• The trivalent dopant atoms used for p-type doping for e.g. – aluminum (Al),
boron (B), gallium (Ga), etc.
 Test Your Understanding
1. Define the following terms:
i. Bandgap
ii. Doping
2. Discuss the effect of the following factors on the
conductivity of pure semiconductor materials.
i. Temperature
ii. Doping
3. What are the dopant atoms? Discuss the types of dopant
atoms with examples.
4. What do you mean by intrinsic and extrinsic
semiconductors?
 References
• Basic Electrical and Electronics Engineering, R.
Muthusubramanian, S. Salivahanan, The McGraw Hill
Companies
• Basic Electrical, Electronics and Measurement Engineering, S.
Salivahanan, R. Rengaraj, G. R. Venkatakrishnan, McGraw
Hill Education
• Non-conventional Energy Resources, B. H. Khan, McGraw
Hill Education
Thank you !