EC1012E Semiconductor Devices, Tutorial Sheet – 1

Formation of Energy Bands in solids:

1) The variation of silicon and GaAs bandgaps with temperature can be expressed as Eg(T) = Eg(0) –
αT2/(T+β), where Eg(0) = 1.17eV, α = 4.73x10-4eV/K and β = 636 K for silicon and Eg(0) = 1.519eV, α
= 5.405x10-4eV/K and β = 204 K for GaAs. Find the bandgaps of Si and GaAs at 100K and 600K.
2) If the conduction band energy E is given as E(1+αE) = p2/2mo where α is a constant is the electron rest
mass and p is its momentum. Find an expression for the effective mass.
3) Two possible conduction bands and two possible valence bands are shown in the E versus k diagram
given in Figure 1 and Figure 2. State which band will result in the heavier electron and hole effective
mass; state why.

Concept of the hole, Density of states, Fermi Dirac Distribution:

4) A GaAs ingot is doped with 1016 arsenic atoms/cm3. Find the carrier concentrations and the Fermi level
at room temperature (300 K). (given ni at room temperature is given by 9.65x109/cm3 and 2.25x106/cm3
for silicon and GaAs, NC at room temperature is given by 2.86x1019/cm3 and 4.7x1017/cm3 for silicon and
GaAs).
5) For a free electron, calculate the density of quantum states(/m3) over the energy range of 1 ≤ E ≤ 2eV.
6) Determine the number(/m3) of quantum states in silicon between (Ev – kT) and Ev at T = 500K.
7) For Si at room temperature, Calculate the density of states in the conduction band, gc(E) at an energy
26meV above EC. (use mn* = 1.08mo).
8) For Si at room temperature, Calculate the density of states in the valence band, gv(E) at an energy 26meV
below EV (use mp* = 0.56mo).
9) Determine the temperature at which there is a 2 percent probability that an energy state is empty.

Intrinsic and Extrinsic semiconductors:

10) If the density of states functions in the conduction band of a particular semiconductor is a constant equal
to K, derive the expression for the thermal-equilibrium concentration of electrons in the conduction band,
assuming Fermi–Dirac statistics and assuming the Boltzmann approximation is valid.
11) Calculate the probability that a quantum state in the conduction band at E = Ec + kT/3 is occupied by an
electron, and calculate the thermal-equilibrium electron concentration in silicon at T = 300 K. (Assume
the Fermi energy is 0.25eV below the conduction band. The value of Nc for silicon at T = 300K is Nc =
2.8x1019/cm3.
Equilibrium Carrier Concentration:
12) In a semiconductor device, the Fermi energy level is 0.35eV above the valence band energy. The
effective density of states in the valence band at T = 300K is 1 x 109/cm3. The thermal equilibrium hole
concentration in silicon at 400K is (/cm3).
13) Calculate the intrinsic carrier concentration in silicon at T = 250K and T = 400K. (Given the bandgap
energy of silicon is 1.12eV).
14) Calculate the position of the intrinsic Fermi level with respect to the center of the bandgap in silicon at
T = 300 K, 400K. The density of states effective carrier masses in silicon are mn* = 1.08mo and mp* =
0.56mo. Comment on the answer.
15) The electron concentration in silicon at T = 300 K is no = 2 x 105/cm3. (a) Determine the position of the
Fermi level concerning the valence band energy level. (b) Determine po. (c) Is this n- or p-type material?
16) Assume that silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide each have dopant concentrations, Nd = 1 * 1013
cm-3 and Na =2.5 * 1013 cm-13 at T =300 K. For each of the three materials: (a) Is this material n type or
p type? (b) Calculate n0 and p0.
17) In a particular semiconductor material, the effective density of state functions are given by Nc = Nc0·
(T/300)3/2 and Nv = Nv0· (T/300)3/2 where Nc0 and Nv0 are constants independent of temperature.
Experimentally determined intrinsic carrier concentrations are found to be ni= 1.40 * 102 cm-3 at T =
200 K and ni = 7.70 * 1010 cm-3 at T = 400 K. Determine the product Nc0 * Nv0 and the bandgap energy
Eg. (Assume Eg is constant over this temperature range.)
18) A Si crystal is doped with phosphorous atoms to the extent of 1 part of impurity atom per billion (PPB)
Si atoms. The atomic concentration of Si is 5×1022/cm3, minority concentration of crystal in /cm3 is.
(Assume the intrinsic concentration of Si is 1.5×1010 cm-3)
19) Calculate the thermal equilibrium hole concentration in Si at T=400K. Assume that fermi energy is
0.27eV above the valence band. The value of NV is 1.04×10-19/cm3

Non-Equilibrium Carrier Concentration:

20) Determine the behavior of excess carriers as a function of time. Assume that excess carriers have been
generated uniformly in a semiconductor to a concentration of δn(0) = 10 15/cm3. The forcing function
generating the excess carriers turns off at time t = 0. Assume τn0 = 10-6s. Also, Calculate the recombination
rate of the excess carriers at t = 0, 1µs, 4µs and 10µs.
21) A Si sample with nno = 1014/cm3 is illuminated with light and 1013 electron-hole pairs/cm3 are created
every microsecond. If τn = τp = 2µs, find the change in minority carrier concentration.
22) A GaAs sample with nno = 1016/cm3 is illuminated with light and 1013 electron-hole pairs/cm3 are created
every microsecond. If τn = τp = 2ns, find the quasi-Fermi level at 300K.
23) Consider an n-type silicon sample with a doping concentration ND = 1016/cm3. If it is illuminated such
that EHPs at a rate of 1018/cm3 per second are generated, find out the majority and minority carrier
concentrations at steady state. Assuming τp = 10-6s, plot the decay of the excess carriers with time once
the light source is switched off.
24) An n-type silicon sample is uniformly illuminated with light which generates 1020 electron-hole pairs per
cm3 second. The minority carrier lifetime in the sample is 1μs. In the steady state, the hole concentration
in the sample is approximately 10x, where x is an integer. The value of x is
25) For the n-type silicon sample with a doping concentration ND = 1016/cm3. Give a pictorial representation
of the Fermi-level positions before and after the light source is switched on at 300K. (given kT = 0.026eV
and ni = 1.5 x 1010/cm3). (use values obtained from Qn23)
26) (a) Calculate the temperature at which there is a 10-8 probability that an energy state 0.60 eV above the
Fermi energy level is occupied by an electron. (b) Repeat part (a) for a probability of 10-6.
27) For a particular semiconductor, Eg =1.50 eV, mp* =10 mn*, T = 300 K, and ni = 1 * 105 cm-3. (a) Determine
the position of the intrinsic Fermi energy level with respect to the center of the bandgap. (b) Impurity
atoms are added so that the Fermi energy level is 0.45 eV below the center of the bandgap. (i) Are acceptor
 or donor atoms added? (ii) What is the concentration of impurity atoms added?
28) The resistivity of uniformly doped n-type silicon sampled is 0.5Ω – cm. If the electron mobility (μn)
is 1250cm2/V-sec and the charge of an electron is 1.6×10-19 coulomb, the donor impurity concentration
(ND) in the sample is?
29) Given doping concentration of the p-type semiconductor is 2.29×1016 cm-3. Find the location of the
Fermi level. (Assume ni = 1.5×1010 cm-3).
30) Suppose the Temperature is 300k, Determine the probability that an energy level 3KTabove the
fermi level is occupied by an electron
31) In a semiconductor at room temperature, Intrinsic concentration, and intrinsic resistivity are
1.5×1016/cm3 and 2×1013Ώ-m, it is converted to extrinsic with a doping concentration of 1020/cm3. Find
the shift in the Fermi level due to doping.
32) In a material, free electron mobility is 100cm2/V-sec, Effective mass of an electron is 0.25 times that of
intrinsic mass. If the thermal velocity of the electron is 107cm/s. Calculate mean free path and mean free
time
Carrier Transport, Drift and Diffusion Equations, Continuity Equation:

33) The diffusion constant and mobility for electrons in a semiconductor material at a given temperature
are 20 cm2/s and 1600 cm2/V-s, respectively. The thermal voltage VT for a diode made of this material
at the same temperature is
34) Electron mobility & life-time in a semiconductor at room temperature are 0.36 m2 /v-sec& 340 μs.
respectively The diffusion length is
35) A potential difference of 5V is applied across an n-type specimen of length 100mm and a cross-
sectional area of 6 mm2. Given μn =3800 cm2/V-sec & μp =1800 cm2/V-sec Drift velocity of the
majority carriers in cm/sec is.
36) An intrinsic semiconductor is doped with 1015/1.6 acceptors/cm3. Given μn = 4000 cm2/V-sec & μp =
2000 cm2/V-sec Conductivity of material in Ʊ/cm is. (Assume 100% doping efficiency)
37) Suppose an n-type sample of silicon as doping density changes linearly from 1015 to 1012/cm3 over a 1
μm distance for the given cross-sectional area of 10-6 cm2 and Dn=35cm2 /sec. The diffusion current is
38) An n-type Si of 0.1cm long and 100µm2 cross sectional area is has majority carrier concentration of 5×
1020/cm3, carrier mobility is 0.13m2/V-sec at 300K.If the charge of an electron is 1.6×10-19C,
Resistance of the bar is
39) A Si sample A is doped with 1018 atoms/cm3 of Boron, B of identical dimension is doped with 1018
atoms/cm3 of phosphorous, μn: μp= 3:1. Ratio of conductivities of A and B is
40) The total current in a semiconductor is constant and is composed of electron drift current and hole
diffusion current. The electron concentration is constant and equal to 1016 cm–3. The hole concentration is
given by p(x) = 1015exp(-x/L) cm-3 (x ≥ 0)
where, L = 12 μm. The hole diffusion coefficient is Dp = 12 cm2 /s and the electron mobility is
μn = 1000 cm2 /V-s. The total current density is J = 4.8 A/cm2. Calculate (a) the hole diffusion
current density versus x, (b) the electron current density versus x, and (c) the electric field versus x.
Crystal Structures:
41) The lattice constant of a simple cubic lattice is a0. (a) Sketch the following planes: (i) (110), (ii) (111), (iii) (220),
and (iv) (321). (b) Sketch the following directions: (i) [110], (ii) [111], (iii) [220], and (iv) [321].
42) (a) The lattice constant of GaAs is 5.65 Å. Determine the number of Ga atoms and As atoms per cm3.
(b) Determine the volume density of germanium atoms in a germanium semiconductor. The lattice constant of
germanium is 5.65 Å.
43) Determine the surface density of atoms for silicon on the (a) (100) plane, (b) (110) plane, and (c) (111) plane.
44) The structure of GaAs is the zincblende lattice. The lattice constant is 5.65 Å. Calculate the density of valence
electrons in GaAs.