SEMICONDUCTOR ELECTRONICS

Class-12 Semiconductor Electronics

Practice Question & worksheet for chapter 14

1. The majority charge carriers in a p-type semiconductor are

(a) electrons (b) holes (c) neutrons (d) photons
Ans. (b)
In a p-type semiconductor the majority charge carriers are holes.
2. Which of the following is correct regarding a p-type semiconductor?
(a) It is an intrinsic semiconductor (b) It has pentavalent impurity
(c) It has tetravalent impurity (d) None of these
Ans. (c)
The impurity in a p-type semiconductor is tetravalent like Al, B, In, etc.
3. If nh and ne are hole and electron concentrations then for an n-type semiconductor
(a) n h ! n e (b) nh = ne (c) n h ! n e (d) nh = ne = 0
Ans. (a)
In n-type semiconductors, ne ! n h .
4. A solar cell is basically
(a) a p-type semiconductor (b) an n-type semiconductor
(c) a p-n junction (d) none of these
Ans. (c)
A solar cell is basically a p-n junction which generates emf when solar radiation falls
on the p-n junction.
5. Which of the following graph represents the I-V characteristics of a zener diode?
I (mA)

I (mA)

(a) V(volt) (b) V(volt)

 I (mA)

I (mA)
(c) V(volt) (d) V(volt)

Ans. (a)
The I-V curve for a zener diode is represented by the one given in (a).
6. Which of the following is wrong for a transistor?
(a) The ratio of change in collector-emitter voltage (ΔVCE) to the change in collector
current (ΔIC) at a constant base current IB is called output resistance (r0).
(b) The ratio of change in base-emitter voltage ( VBE) to the resulting change in base
current (ΔIB) at constant collector-emitter voltage (VCE) is known as input resistance
(ri).
(c) The ratio of change in base current to the change in collector current is defined as
the current amplification factor (β).
(d) A transistor acts as an amplifier when operated in the active region.
Ans. (c)
It is the ratio of change in collector current to the change in base current.
7. The output of a gate is '1' only when both inputs are '0'. The gate must be a
(a) OR gate (b) AND gate (c) NOR gate (d) NAND gate
Ans. (c)
The truth table for a NOR gate is given below :
Input Output
A B Y
0 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 0
1 1 0
From the above table it follows that the output is '1' only when both the inputs are '0'.

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8. The energy gap of a silicon is 1.14 eV. The maximum wavelength at which silicon would
absorb energy is
(a) 1088 Å (b) 1.088 Å (c) 108.88 Å (d) 10.88 Å
Ans. (a)
hc 6.62 ´ 10 -34 ´ 3 ´ 108
l= = -19
= 1088 ´ 10 -10 m = 1088Å
E 1.14 ´ 1.6 ´ 10
9. Which of the following truth table represents an AND gate?
(a) Input Output (b) Input Output
A B Y A B Y
0 0 0 0 0 1
0 1 1 0 1 1
1 0 1 1 0 1
1 1 1 1 1 0

(c) Input Output (d) Input Output

A B Y A B Y
0 0 0 0 0 1
0 1 0 0 1 0
1 0 0 1 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 0

Ans. (c)
The Boolean expression for AND gate is given by Y = A.B.
So, when A = 0, B = 0 then Y = 0
A = 0, B = 1 then Y = 0
A = 1, B = 0 then Y = 0
A = 1, B = 1 then Y = 1.

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10. If a semiconductor has an intrinsic carrier concentration of 1.04 ´1014 / m3 when doped
with 1028 / m3 phosphorous atoms, then the concentration of hole / m3 at room
temperature will be
(a) 2 ´1028 (b) 1.04 ´1016 / m3 (c) 1.04 ´1014 / m3 (d) 1.02 ´1014 / m3
Ans. (c)
Phosphorous is a pentavalent atom. Its doping will increase the no. of electrons only
and not the holes. So, no. of holes will be equal to no. of intrinsic carrier concentration.
11. In case of half wave rectifier circuit operating from 100 Hz main frequency, the
fundamental frequency in the ripple would be
(a) 50 Hz (b) 25 Hz (c) 200 Hz (d) 100 Hz
Ans. (d)
In half wave rectifier, we get the output only in one half cycle of input a.c., therefore
the frequency of the ripple of the output is same as that of input a.c., i.e., 100 Hz.
12. When the reverse potentials in the semiconductor diode are 10 V and 50 V, the
corresponding reverse currents are 100 μA to 300μA respectively. The reverse
resistance of junction diode will be
(a) 20 kW (b) 2 kW (c) 200 kW (d) 2000 kW
Ans. (c)
DV 50 - 10 40 ´106 1´106
Reverse resistance = = = =
DI (300 - 100) ´10-6 200 5

= 0.2 ´ 106 = 200 ´ 103 W = 200 KW

13. If the forward bias on p-n junction is increased from zero to 0.095 V, then no currunt
flows in the circuit. The contact potential of junction plane is
(a) zero (b) 0.095 V
(c) more than 0.095 V (d) less than 0.95 V
Ans. (b)
When no current flows at the junction plane, then contact potential of junction plane
is equal to the forward voltage applied i.e. 0.095 V.
14. In case of p-n-junction diode, at zener voltage the current rises sharply. It happens
because of

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 (a) high value of reverse bias (b) very low value of reverse bias
(c) very high value of forward bias (d) no reverse bias at all
Ans. (a)
In reverse bias of p-n junction when high voltage is applied, electric break down of
junction takes place, resulting large increase in reverse current.
15. In a common base transistor circuit the current gain is 0.92 on changing emitter
current by 8.00 mA, the change in collector current is
(a) 2.415 mA (b) 7.36 mA (c) 8.00 mA (d) 0.92 mA
Ans. (c)
DIc = a, DIe = 0.92 ´ 800 = 7.36 mA
16. Which of the following gate is considered as a universal gate?
(a) NOR gate (b) AND gate (c) NOT gate (d) OR gate
Ans. (a)
NOR gates are considered as universal gates because we can get all the gates like AND,
OR, NOT by using only NOR gates.
17. In the Boolean algebra, which of the following is wrong?
(a) 1 + 0 = 1 (b) 0 + 1 = 1 (c) 1 + 1 = 1 (d) 1 + 1 = 0
Ans. (d)
It is OR operation, here 1 + 0 = 0 + 1 = 1 + 1 = 1.
18. If A = 1 and B = 0, then in terms of Boolean algebra what is the value of (A.A + B)?
(a) B + A (b) A (c) B (d) A2 + B
Ans. (b)
A.A = A
Hence A.A + B = A + B = A
19. Which of the following is not true in Boolean algebra?
(a) [1 + 1].1 = 0 (b) [1 + 0].1 = 0 (c) [1 + 0]. 1 = 0 (d) [1 + 1]. 1 = 1
Ans. (d)
[1 + 1].1 = [0 + 0].1 = 0.1 = 0

[1 + 0].1 = [0 + 0].1 = 0.1 = 0

[1 + 0].1 = [0 + 0].0 = 0

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 [1 + 1]. 1 = 1.0 = 0

Hence (d) is not true.

20. A transistor has an a = 0.95 then β is equal to
(a) 0.95 (b) 1.5 (c) 19 (d) (19)-1
Ans. (c)
a 0.95
b= = = 19
1 - a 0.55
21. A p-n photodiode is fabricated from a semiconductor with the band gap of 2.8 eV. Can
it detect a wavelength of 6000 nm?
Ans. Given that the Energy band gap of photodiode, Eg=2.8 eV

Wavelength, λ = 6000 nm = 6000 × 10−9m

The energy of a signal is given by the relation:
#$
E= ……………………. (I)
%

Where, h= Planck’s constant = 6.626 × 10−34J-s

c = Speed of light = 3 × 108m/s

So, E= 3.3 × 10−20 J [From equation (I)]

We know that, 1.6 × 10−19J = 1 eV

'.' × *+,-. /
Therefore, E = (*.1 × *+,23 )56

∴ E = 0.21 eV
The energy of any particular signal of wavelength 6000 nm is 0.21 eV, which is less
than given 2.8 eV − the energy band gap of the photodiode. So, the photodiode cannot
detect the signal.
(Actually, this is example of application of photodiode)
22. Two amplifiers are connected one after the other in series (cascaded). The first
amplifier has a voltage gain of 10 and the second has a voltage gain of 20. If the input
signal is 0.01 volt, calculate the output ac signal.
Ans. Let A1= 10 (Voltage gain of the first amplifier)
and A2= 20 (Voltage gain of the second amplifier)

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 Vi= 0.01 V (Input signal voltage)
Let,Output AC signal voltage =Vo
We have the relation:
V0=A × Vi
Output after the first stage VO1=A1 × Vi
Then, output after the 2nd stage VO2=VO1 × A2=Vi × A1 × A2
Hence, the final output = VO=20 × 10 × 0.01 =2 Volts
Therefore, the output AC signal of the given amplifier is 2 V.
23. Which of the statements given in Exercise 1 is true for p-type semiconductors.
Ans. (D)
In a p-type semiconductor holes are majority carriers and trivalent atoms are dopants
as it is formed by doping of a trivalent atom in a tetravalent crystal. Trivalent atoms
have an electron less than a tetravalent atom, hence a number of holes are greater
than the number of electrons (As Absence of electron represents hole).So, holes are
the majority carriers.

24. In half-wave rectification, what is the output frequency if the Input frequency is 50 Hz.
What is the output frequency of a full wave rectifier for the same input frequency.
Ans. During a cycle, half wave rectifier conducts once and full wave rectifier conducts twice,
hence the output frequency for the half-wave rectifier will be same i.e. 50 Hz, whereas
the output frequency for the full wave rectifier will be double, i.e. 100 Hz.

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 Answer: Output frequency for full wave rectifier = 100Hz, for half-wave rectifier it’s 50
Hz.

(Actually, this is application of p-n junction diode)

25. For a CE-transistor amplifier, the audio signal voltage across the collected resistance
of 2k is 2 V. Suppose the current the amplification factor of the transistor is 100, find
the input signal voltage and base current, if the base resistance is 1k.
Ans. Given that,
Rc= 2K-Ω =2000 Ω (Collector Resistance)
V = 2 Volts (Audio signal voltage across the collector resistance)
β=100 (Current amplification factor of the transistor)
RB= 1K-Ω (Base resistance)
Let, the Input signal voltage be Vi
Base current = IB
We have the relation for voltage amplification as:
6 < 6 < C 6 × *+++ D
8 : = β × 8<= :⇒ VA = 8 : × 8<> :⇒ VA = ⇒Vi = 0.01 V
69 > B = *++ × C+++ D

Therefore, the input signal voltage of the amplifier is 0.01 V.

We know that Base Resistance:
RB= Vi/IB
⇒ IB = Vi/RB = 0.01 V/1000Ω =10μA
Therefore, the base current of the amplifier is 10μA