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Introduction To Semiconductor Devices

This document discusses semiconductor devices and provides an introduction to semiconductors. It defines a semiconductor as a material with conductivity between a conductor and insulator. Semiconductors like silicon and germanium are composed of atoms with 4 valence electrons that form covalent bonds. Doping involves adding impurities to change a semiconductor from intrinsic to extrinsic by increasing free electrons or holes. A PN junction is formed by joining P-type and N-type materials, creating a depletion region. Forward biasing lowers the junction's resistance while reverse biasing increases it, analogous to a closed and open switch.

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Muhammad Sufyan
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1K views

Introduction To Semiconductor Devices

This document discusses semiconductor devices and provides an introduction to semiconductors. It defines a semiconductor as a material with conductivity between a conductor and insulator. Semiconductors like silicon and germanium are composed of atoms with 4 valence electrons that form covalent bonds. Doping involves adding impurities to change a semiconductor from intrinsic to extrinsic by increasing free electrons or holes. A PN junction is formed by joining P-type and N-type materials, creating a depletion region. Forward biasing lowers the junction's resistance while reverse biasing increases it, analogous to a closed and open switch.

Uploaded by

Muhammad Sufyan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SEMICONDUCTOR

DEVICES

1
1.0 INTRODUCTION TO
SEMICONDUCTOR
• Atomic structure.
• Material classification.
• Covalent bonds.
• Conduction in semiconductors.
• Extrinsic semiconductors.
• The p-n junction
• Biasing the p-n junction

2
What is semiconductor?
A semiconductor material has a conductivity
level between the extremes of conductor and
an insulator.

It will not conduct current as well as a conductor


or block current as well as insulator.

Some semiconductor materials are pure elements


such as carbon (C), germanium (Ge), and silicon
(Si), whereas other semiconductor materials are
compounds.
Intrinsic Silicon
• Pure silicon is sometimes called intrinsic silicon
• Intrinsic silicon contains very few free electrons
to support the flow of current and therefore acts
as insulator

Extrinsic Silicon
• Silicon that contains other materials called
impurities to change its electrical
characteristic.
4
Semiconductor Atoms
Atomic structure of the atom is the smallest
element of the material.

Atomic structure models have been introduced by Niels Bohr in 1913.


5
The silicon atom has 14 protons in its nucleus and
14 electrons in three orbital paths distributes as 2,
8, and then 4 electrons in its valence shell.

What do all these atoms have


in common?
All semiconductor atoms have
four(4) valence electrons.

Number of valence electrons determines the


conductivity of the atom.
The valence shell of an atom can contain up to
8 electrons. 6
There is a maximum of 7 layers of the orbit
(or shell). The maximum number of electrons in one
shell is determined by the formula:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
2 8 18 32 50 72 98

7
Materials are classified by their ability to conduct
electricity.
Type of No. of Definition
material electron
valence
Conductors 1–3 Substances that easily pass an
electron electric current.
valence E.g : Silver and Cooper
Semiconductor 4 electronMaterial whose conductivity lies
valence between those of conductors and
insulator
E.g : Silicon and germanium
Insulators 5-8 Materials that have a difficult time
electron passing an electric current
valence E.g : Rubber, glass and Teflon
Example
• No. of electron in level • Structure of Aluminium
= 2  n2
• Orbit 1 = 2 x 12 = 2 electrons
• Orbit 2 = 2 x 22 = 8 electrons
• Orbit 3 = 13 – 10 = 3 electrons
valence

9
Silicon Germanium

10
Silicon, the most popular semiconductor material
due to its superior temperature stability.
(cheaper than germanium)
Covalent bond
A pair of electrons shared by two neighboring
atoms.

When many atoms bond, the result is a crystal


lattice structure.
✓This makes each atom is stable, strong bond.
✓It will act as an insulator at room temperature.
✓There are several factors that can affect the
stability of the atom; the heat factor,
temperature rise, potential difference and
dopping process.
Doping Semiconductor Materials

Doping is a process wherein impurities are added


to the intrinsic semiconductor material either to
increase the number of free electron(negative
doping) or to increase the number of holes
(positive doping).

A doped semiconductor material is referred to as


an extrinsic semiconductor material.

14
Free electrons

An electron that is able to move


freely when an external force is
applied.

Holes
The gap in the covalent bond left
when an electron jumps from the
valence shell to the conduction
band.

15
Two types of impurities that can be added to
semiconductor crystals.

1. Pentavalent material
Its atom has five valence electron.
(Arsenic (As), Phosphorus(P), Antomony(Sb)

2. Trivalent material
Its atom has three valence electron.
(Aluminium (Al), Boron(B), Gallium(Ga)

16
N-type Semiconductor

A material that has more free electrons than


holes.
The phrase ‘n-type’ comes from the negative
charge of the electrons.

The free electrons are the majority carriers and


holes are the minority carriers.

Donor atom.

17
P-type Semiconductor

A material that has more holes than free


electrons.
The phrase ‘p-type’ comes from the positive
charge of the holes.

The holes are the majority carriers and free


electrons are the minority carriers.

Acceptor atom.

18
18
Characteristic N-type & P-type Semiconductor
characteristics N-type P-type
Majority carriers Free electrons Holes
Minority carriers Holes Free electrons
Atom Donor Acceptor
Doping Add with Add with trivalent
pentavalent atom atom impurities
impurities

19
P-N Junction
P-N junctions are formed by joining n-type and p-type
semiconductor materials.

This junction of the two materials now permits the


free electrons in the n-type material to combine with
the holes in the p-type material.
20
As free electron in the n material cross the junction
and combine with holes in the p material, they create
negative ions in the p material and leave behind
positive ions in the n material.
An area or region on either side of the junction
becomes emptied or depleted of free electrons and
holes.

This small layer containing positive and negative ions


is called the depletion region.
21
Biasing P-N Junction

Reverse
Bias

Forward
Bias

22
Forward Biasing a P-N Juntion
The negative potential of the DC source has been
applied to the n region, and the positive potential of
the DC source has been applied to the p region.

The free electron in the n region are repelled by the


negative voltage source toward the junction.
On the opposite side, the holes in the p region are
repelled by the positive voltage source toward the
junction. 23
A forward conducting current will begin to flow if the
external source voltage is large enough to overcome
the internal barrier voltage of P-N junction.

The P-N junction resistance is low (R).

Therefore, the circuit current is high (I).

The P-N junction acts like a conductor and is


equivalent to the closed switch.

24
Reverse Biasing a P-N Juntion
The positive potential of the DC is now being applied
to the n region, and the positive potential of the DC
source has been applied to the p region.

The free electrons in the n region is traveled to the


positive terminal of the voltage source and leaving
behind a large number of positive ions at the junction.
25
At the same time, electrons from the negative terminal
of the source are attracted to the holes in the p region
of the P-N junction. These electrons fill the holes in
the p region near the junction, creating a large
number of negative ions.
This increases the width of the depletion region.
The resistance been increased to a point that current
drops to zero.
26
Actually, an extremely small current called the
leakage current or reverse current will past through
the P-N junction.

It is present because the minority carriers are forced


toward the junction, where they combine, producing
small current. (nanoamps in silicon diode)
The P-N junction resistance is extremely high (R ).
The circuit current is effectively zero. (I=0amp).
The P-N junction acts like an insulator and is
equivalent to an open switch. 27

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