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A material that allows the flow of current upon application of a small voltage Materials with high electron mobility (many free electrons) Best conductors have one valence electron
The attraction between core and valence electron is weak An outside force easily dislodges a free electron from an atom
A material that restricts the flow of current upon application of a voltage materials with low electron mobility (few or no free electrons) Commonly called dielectric materials
glass rubber oil asphalt fiberglass porcelain ceramic quartz (dry) cotton
Three most frequently used semiconductors are (Ge)Germanium, (Si)Silicon and (GaAs)
Gallium Arsenide
Used during the first few decades of the diodes (1939) and transistors(1947) Relatively easy to find and available in large
quantities
First transistor was developed in the 1970s Provided a higher speed of operation, about 5 times of Si
Each orbiting electron has its discrete energy level. The more distant the electron is from the nucleus, the higher the energy state
the band of energy occupied by the valence electrons. Here electrons are still bounded to the atomic structure Next higher permitted energy band. Electrons can move freely in this energy band
Conduction Band
Forbidden Energy Gap
Conduction Band
Forbidden Energy Gap
Insulators
Semiconductors
Conductors
Covalent bonding
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The valence electrons are bound, a silicon crystal at room temperature is almost a perfect Insulator.
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By thermal energy, some free electrons and holes are created While other free electrons and holes recombine. The time between creation and recombination of a free electron and a hole is called the life time.
Intrinsic Semiconductors
Extrinsic Semiconductors
Process of adding other materials called impurities to the silicon or germanium crystal to change its characteristics This is done to alter the electrical conductivity of the intrinsic semiconductor
Pentavalent materials: Antimony (Sb), Arsenic (As), Phosphorus (P) Has a valence of 5 Called donor atoms Makes a n-type semiconductor
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PAsSb
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The addition of the pentavalent material creates a free electron which can be used for conduction
Trivalent materials: Boron (B), Gallium (Ga), Indium (In) Has a valence of 3
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GaBIn
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semiconductor
The addition of the trivalent material creates a hole in the structure, similar to that of a free electron just in the opposite polarity
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N type
Obtained when a pentavalent material is added to pure silicon crystal. Has excess negative charge carriers Majority carriers are electrons and minority
P type
Obtained when traces of a trivalent material is added to a pure silicon crystal. Has excess of positive charge carriers Majority carriers are holes and minority carriers are electrons
Conductors
A. B. C. D.
E.
F. G.
a.
b.
c.
d.
A. B. C. D.
E.
Silicon (Si) Gallium Nitride (GaN) Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) Cadmium Sulfide (Cds) Germanium (Ge)
N - type
Holes
Intrinsic
Semiconductors in purest forms
Extrinsic
Semiconductors added with impurities called dopants
Doping
Pentavalent
Trivalent
http://mste.illinois.edu/murphy/HoleFlow/Str ucture.html http://www.aboutnuclear.org/glossary.cgi?fT =nucleus Lecture notes by Engr. Emmanuel Guevara Lecture notes by Engr. Angelo dela Cruz Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory by Boylestad and Nashelsky Grobs Basic Electronics by Schultz Electronic Principles by Malvino and Bates