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R0105

The document reviews intrinsic and extrinsic carrier concentrations in semiconductors, explaining the equilibrium concentrations of electrons and holes, and the effects of doping. It details how donor and acceptor impurities affect carrier concentrations and introduces the concept of energy band diagrams to illustrate potential variations within a semiconductor device. Key equations for calculating intrinsic and extrinsic carrier concentrations are also provided.

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6 views

R0105

The document reviews intrinsic and extrinsic carrier concentrations in semiconductors, explaining the equilibrium concentrations of electrons and holes, and the effects of doping. It details how donor and acceptor impurities affect carrier concentrations and introduces the concept of energy band diagrams to illustrate potential variations within a semiconductor device. Key equations for calculating intrinsic and extrinsic carrier concentrations are also provided.

Uploaded by

tkoulong
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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EEE436

Review of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Carrier


Concentrations and Band Diagrams

R0105
Intrinsic Concentration
• The equilibrium electron and hole concentrations assuming non-degenerate
statistics are given by ∞ 𝐸 −𝐸 𝑓 𝑐

3/2
𝑛 = � 𝑔𝐶 𝐸 𝑓 𝐸 𝑑𝑑 ≅ 𝑁𝑐 𝑒 𝑘𝑘
2𝜋𝑚𝑛,𝑝 𝑘𝑘 𝐸𝑐
𝑁𝑐,𝑣 =2
ℎ2 𝐸𝑣
𝑝 = � 𝑔𝑉 𝐸 1 − 𝑓 𝐸 𝑑𝑑 ≅ 𝑁𝑣 𝑒 (𝐸𝑣−𝐸𝑓 )/𝑘𝑘
−∞
• For a semiconductor in equilibrium, we can write
𝐸𝑓 −𝐸𝑐 +𝐸𝑣 −𝐸𝑓 − 𝐸𝑐 −𝐸𝑣 −𝐸𝐺
𝑛𝑝 ≅ 𝑁𝑐 𝑁𝑣 𝑒 𝑘𝑘 = 𝑁𝑐 𝑁𝑣 𝑒 𝑘𝑘 = 𝑁𝑐 𝑁𝑣 𝑒 𝑘𝑘
• For an undoped semiconductor, 𝑛 and 𝑝 are equal and given by the
intrinsic concentration, 𝑛𝑖
−𝐸𝐺
𝑛𝑝 = 𝑛𝑖2 = 𝑁𝑐 𝑁𝑣 𝑒 𝑘𝑘 ; 𝑛𝑖 = 𝑁𝑐 𝑁𝑣 𝑒 −𝐸𝐺 /2𝑘𝑘 ≈ 1.5 × 1010 𝑐𝑐−3 , 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆
• The intrinsic Fermi 𝐸𝑓 −𝐸𝑖 /𝑘𝑘
level, 𝐸𝑖 is found to be 𝐸𝑐 + 𝐸𝑣 𝑘𝑘 𝑁𝑐 𝑛 and 𝑝 can be 𝑛 = 𝑛𝑖 𝑒
𝐸𝑖 = + 𝑙𝑙 written in terms of 𝐸𝑖
basically at mid-gap, and 2 2 𝑁𝑣 𝑝 = 𝑛𝑖 𝑒 (𝐸𝑖 −𝐸𝑓 )/𝑘𝑘
is used as a reference
level
Impurity Levels: Donors and Acceptors
• Impurity atoms in the crystal lattice introduces localized states
in the energy gap.
• Impurities with a valence higher than the net valence of crystal
behave as donors, giving up a free electron to the CB. When
ionized, they have a positive charge.

• Impurities with a valence lower than the net valence of crystal


behave as acceptors, taking an electron from the VB, leaving a
free hole, and a negative ion
• In the general case, in a bulk material, charge neutrality must hold
2
𝑛 𝑖
𝑛 + 𝑁𝐴 − +
= 𝑝 + 𝑁𝐷 ; 𝑝 = ⇒ 𝑛2 − 𝑁𝐷 − 𝑁𝐴 𝑛 − 𝑛𝑖2 = 0
𝑛

𝑁𝐷 − 𝑁𝐴 𝑁𝐷 − 𝑁𝐴 2 + 4𝑛𝑖2
𝑛= ±
2 2 𝑁𝐴 − 𝑁𝐷 𝑁𝐴 − 𝑁𝐷 2 + 4𝑛𝑖2
𝑝= ±
2 2
𝑛 ≅ 𝑁𝐷 − 𝑁𝐴 ; 𝑛𝑖 ≪ 𝑁𝐷 − 𝑁𝐴
Similar expression for holes
Doped Semiconductors: n and p-type
• For shallow donors, complete ionization occurs at room temperature, and the
electron concentration in the conduction band is determined by the external doping.
𝑛 ≅ 𝑁𝐷 ; 𝑝 = 𝑛𝑖2 /𝑛
• Such material is called 𝒏-type. Electrons are the majority carrier, and holes the
minority carrier. In equilibrium, we denote 𝑛𝑛𝑛 the majority carrier concentration
and 𝑝𝑛𝑛 the minority carrier concentration (the ‘o’ means equilibrium).
• Likewise, for shallow acceptors in p-type material, they are easily ionized by
accepting and electron from the valence band, leaving behind free holes.
𝑝𝑝𝑝 ≅ 𝑁𝐴 ; 𝑛𝑝𝑜 = 𝑛𝑖2 /𝑝𝑝𝑝

• A semiconductor in which the carrier concentration is determined


by the donor or acceptor concentration is said to be extrinsic.
• At high enough temperature, the intrinsic concentration becomes
comparable to 𝑁𝐴 − 𝑁𝐷 and the material becomes intrinsic.
• At low enough temperature, the carriers freeze out onto their parent
donor or acceptors, and the material also becomes intrinsic.
Energy Band Diagram in Space
• The energies 𝐸𝑐 and 𝐸𝑣 represent the minimum energy of electrons in the CB and
the minimum energy of holes in the valence band (increasing hole energy going
downwards)
• 𝐸𝑐 represents the potential energy of electrons; any energy
above this value is kinetic energy.
• Plotting 𝐸𝑐 and 𝐸𝑣 as a function of position gives a picture of the
potential variation inside a device, which we call an energy band
diagram (not to be confused with the plot of 𝐸 versus 𝑘).
• Since potential energy is defined in terms of positive charge, then
the electric field, ℰ, is given in terms of 𝐸𝑐 𝑥 as
𝑑𝑑 𝐸𝑐 𝑥
ℰ=− ; 𝑉=−
𝑑𝑑 𝑒
1 𝑑𝐸𝑐 𝑥 1 𝑑𝐸𝑣 𝑥 1 𝑑𝐸𝑖 𝑥
ℰ= = =
𝑒 𝑑𝑑 𝑒 𝑑𝑑 𝑒 𝑑𝑑
Summary
• The intrinsic carrier concentration is the
concentration of electrons and holes in equilibrium
without doping.
𝑛𝑝 = 𝑛𝑖2 ; 𝑛𝑖 = 𝑁𝑐 𝑁𝑣 𝑒 −𝐸𝐺 /2𝑘𝑘
• When ionized, a donor contributes and electron to
the CB, while an acceptor takes and electron from
the VB leaving behind a hole.
• For extrinsic material, the electron and hole
concentrations are given by
𝑛𝑛𝑜 ≅ 𝑁𝐷 − 𝑁𝐴 ; 𝑝𝑛𝑜 = 𝑛𝑖2 /𝑛𝑛𝑜
𝑝𝑝𝑝 ≅ 𝑁𝐴 − 𝑁𝐷 ; 𝑛𝑝𝑝 = 𝑛𝑖2 /𝑝𝑝𝑝

• The energy band diagram corresponds to the plot


of 𝐸𝑐 𝑥 and 𝐸𝑣 𝑥 showing the potential variation.

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