The Semiconductor in Equilibrium

Introduction
Equilibrium (thermal equilibrium): no external forces such as voltages, electric fields, magnetic fields, or temperature gradient acting on the semiconductor. Intrinsic semiconductor: (undoped semiconductor), is a pure semiconductor with no impurity or defects.
The number of charge carriers is therefore determined by the properties of the material itself instead of the amount of impurities

Extrinsic semiconductor: (doped semiconductor), electrical properties of semiconductor can be altered in desirable way by adding controlled amounts of specific impurity atoms (dopant atoms). Depending on the type of dopant atom added, the dominant charge carrier in the semiconductor can be electrons in the conduction band or holes in the valence band

Charge Carriers in Semiconductors

In a semiconductor, current can be conducted by two types of carrier, the electron and the hole. Since the current is determined largely by the number of electrons in the conduction band and the number of holes in the valence band, An important characteristic of the semiconductor is the density of these charge carriers.

Density of states Density of electrons and holes= Fermi distribution function

Distribution of Electrons and Holes in Equilibrium

The electron density distribution at energy level E

The hole density distribution at energy level E

Distribution of Electrons and Holes in Equilibrium (in intrinsic semiconductor)

To find the thermalequilibrium electron and hole concentrations, we need to determine the position of the Fermi energy EF with respect to the bottom of the conduction-band energy Ec, and the top of the valence-band energy Ev. For an intrinsic semiconductor, the Fermi energy must be somewhere between Ec, and Ev.

Concentration of Electrons at Equilibrium

Thermal-equilibrium concentration of electrons (#/cm3) in the conduction band

n0 =

g (E) f
c

( E )dE

Ec

Assume that EF is within the energy bandgap and E-EF>>KT For an intrinsic semiconductor, EF is at the middle of bandgap, so for energy levels in the conduction band E>EC there is E-EF>>KT (KT 25 meV for T=300K).

Concentration of Electrons at Equilibrium

Define effective density of states in the conduction band

Concentration of Holes at Equilibrium

Thermal-equilibrium concentration of holes (#/cm^3) in the conduction band

Assume that EF is within the energy bandgap and, EF-Ev >>KT So, for energy levels in the valance band , EF- E >> KT, there is then

Concentration of Holes at Equilibrium

Define effective density of states in the valence band

Carrier Concentrations in Intrinsic Semiconductors

For an intrinsic semiconductor, the concentration of electrons in the conduction band is equal to the concentration of holes in the valence band

EFi is the Fermi-level for the intrinsic semiconductor, i.e., intrinsic Fermi-level

For a given semiconductor, at constant temperature, ni is constant. ni for silicon at T = 300 K is approximately 1.5 X 1010 cm-3.

n0 p0 = n

2 i

Known as the Law of mass Action

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The intrinsic carrier concentration versus temperature.

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The Intrinsic Fermi-Level position

Solving for EFi

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Extrinsic Semiconductor Materials

An extrinsic semiconductor is a semiconductor that has been doped, that is, into which dopant atoms has been introduced, giving it different electrical properties than the intrinsic semiconductor. Semiconductor doping is the process that changes an intrinsic semiconductor to an extrinsic semiconductor. During doping, impurity atoms are introduced to an intrinsic semiconductor. N-type doping: doping pure silicon with group V elements such as phosphorus, extra valence electrons are added and become unbonded from individual atoms, which allows the compound to be electrically conductive. The n-type dopant is said to behave as an electron donor. P-type doping: doping with group III elements, such as boron, which are missing the fourth valence electron and create "broken bonds", or holes, in the silicon lattice. The p-type dopant is an acceptor.

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N-Type Doping

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Energy band diagram of N-Type Semiconductor

Donor energy state

Donor being ionized

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P-Type Doping

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Energy band diagram of P-Type Semiconductor

Acceptor energy state

Acceptor being ionized

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Fermi-energy levels in Extrinsic Semiconductors

N-type semiconductor (donors added)

P-type semiconductor (acceptors added)

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Fermi-energy levels in Extrinsic Semiconductors

Adding dopant atoms to a semiconductor will change Fermi energy, and thus change the electron and hole distributions

For N-type semiconductor, , EF>EFi, n0> p0 electrons are majority carrier and holes are minority carrier For P-type semiconductor, EF<EFi, n0 < p0 holes are majority carrier and electrons are minority carrier
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Electron and Hole Concentrations in Extrinsic Semiconductor

Equilibrium

condition

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Degenerate and Nondegenerate Semiconductors

In n-type semiconductor, if EF >Ec then n0>Nc degenerate n-type semiconductor if EF <Ec then n0<Nc nondegenerate n-type semiconductor In p-type semiconductor, if EF <Ev then p0>Nc degenerate n-type semiconductor if EF >Ev then p0<Nc nondegenerate n-type semiconductor

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Ionization of Donors and Acceptors

N-type semiconductor nd : concentration of electrons occupying the donor states Nd: concentration of donor atoms (n-type doping density) N+d: concentration of ionized donors P-type semiconductor pa: concentration of holes in the acceptor states Na: concentration of acceptor atoms (p-type doping density) N-a: concentration of ionized acceptors

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Partial Ionization Case

gD = 2 for Si, GaAs, Ge and most semiconductors For 1017cm-3 P in Si: N+d=0.94 Nd

gA = 4 for Si, GaAs, Ge and most semiconductors. For 1014 cm-3 B in Si: N-a = 0.9998 Na For 1017 cm-3 B in Si: N- a = 0.88 Na

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Complete Ionization
At room temperature, for a typical doping density of 1016 cm-3 , for n-type semiconductor, almost all donor impurity atoms are ionized and have donated an electron to the conduction band, i.e.,

N+d Nd
for p-type semiconductor, each acceptor atom has accepted an electron from the valence band and a hole is created in the valence band for each acceptor atom, i.e., N-a Na

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Charge Neutrality
In thermal equilibrium, the semiconductor crystal is electrically neutral. Electrons and holes are distributed among various energy states, but the net charge density is zero.
+ q[( p0 N a ) + ( Nd n0 )] = 0

+ ( p0 N a ) + ( Nd n0 ) = 0
+ Na N a and N d N

( p0 Na ) + ( Nd n0 ) = 0

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( p0

Equilibrium Carrier Concentrations for Extrinsic Semiconductors ni2 ( N a ) + ( N d n0 ) = 0 N a ) + ( N d n0 ) = 0 n0

2 n0 n( N d N a ) ni2 = 0

For N-type semiconductor

Nd Na n0 = + 2

Nd Na 2 ( ) + ni2 2

and for P-type semiconductor

Na Nd p0 = + 2

Na Nd 2 ( ) + ni2 2
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Position of Fermi Energy in Extrinsic Semiconductors

N-type semiconductor

P-type semiconductor

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Variation of Fermi-Energy with Doping Concentration

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Variation of Fermi-Energy with Temperature

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