Edc Notes

Electronic Devices & Circuits : UNIT – II
Syllabus: Forbidden Band (or) Energy Gap :-
Review of Semi Conductor Physics : Insulators, The energy band in between the condition
Semi conductors, and Metals classification using band and the valence band is called forbidden Band.
Energy Band Diagrams, Mobility and Conductivity,
Electrons and holes in Intrinsic Semi conductors, 2.2 Classification of Materials (or) Solids
Extrinsic Semi Conductor, (P and N Type According to Energy Bands:-
semiconductor) Hall effect, Generation and Solids are classified in to three types
Recombination of Charges, Diffusion, Continuity
Equation, Injected Minority Carriers, Law of 1. Insulators
Junction, Fermi Dirac Function, Fermi level in 2. Conductors
3. Semi conductors
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Semiconductor.
2. 1.Energy Band Diagram:-
The range of energies that an electron may

possess in an atom is known as the energy band.
There Important energy bands are,
 Valence Band
 Conduction Band
 Forbidden Band Fig: Energy Band Diagram of Solids
Insulators:-
Valence Band :-
→ Materials in which the conduction band
The Range of Energy possessed by valence
and valence bands are separated by a wide energy
electrons is known as valence Bands.
gap (≈ 15 eV) as shown in figure.
Conduction Band :-
Free electron Concentration, n ≈107 electrons/m3
The valence electrons are less tightly bound
Resistivity, ρ > 109 Ω - cm
with the nucleus. So that even by an application of
small electric field, some of the valence electrons Energy Gap, EG » 1 e V (1 eV = 1.6 x 10-19 Joules)
detached from the nucleus and it becomes free
electrons. These fee electrons are responsible for the → A wide energy gap means that a large
conduction of current in good conductors. The amount of energy is required, to free the electrons,
electrons are also called conduction electrons. by moving them from the valence band into the
conduction band;
→ The Range of energy possessed by these
electrons is known as conduction band. → Since at room temperature, the valence
electrons of an insulator do not have enough energy
to jump in to the conduction, therefore insulator do
not have an ability to conduct current. Thus
insulators have very high resistance (or extremely Germanium (Ge ) has EG= 0.785 eV, and Silicon is
low conductivity) at room temperatures. 1.21 eV at OOK
→ However if the temperature is raised, → If the temperature is further increased,

some of the valence electrons may acquire energy more valence electrons will acquire energy to jump
and jump in to the conduction band. It causes the into the conduction band.
resistance of insulators to decrease.
→ Thus like insulators, semiconductors also
→ Therefore an insulator have negative have negative temperature co-efficient of resistance.
temperature co-efficient of resistance.
→ It means that conductivity of
Conductors:- semiconductors increases (i.e resistance decreases)
with the increase in temperature.
The materials in which conduction and
valence bands overlap as shown in figure are called Advantages of Semiconductor Devices:
conductors. 1. Smaller in size.
2. Requires no cathode heating power
Free electron concentration, n ≈ 1028 electrons/m3 3. They operate on low DC power.
Resistivity, ρ < 10-3 Ω - cm 4. They have long life.
Energy Gap, EG = 0 e V Disadvantages:

1. Frequency range of operation is low.
→ The overlapping indicates a large number 2. Smaller power output.
of electrons available for conduction. 3. Low permissible ambient temperature.
4. Noise is more
→ Hence the application of a small amount
of voltage results a large amount of current.
2.3 Classification of Semi Conductors:
Semiconductors:-
Semiconductors are classified into two types.
→ The materials, in which the conduction They are–
and valence bands are separated by a small energy · Intrinsic or Pure semiconductors.
gap (1eV) as shown in figure are called · Extrinsic or Doped Semiconductor.
semiconductors. The extrinsic semiconductors are also two types.
· N-type and
→ Silicon, germanium, GaAs, Carbon, · P-type.
selemium are the examples for semiconductors.
Intrinsic or Pure Semi Conductors:
→ A small energy gap means that a small
amount of energy is required to free the electrons by
The semiconductor material in its pure form is
moving them from the valence band in to the
called intrinsic semiconductor. Pure Silicon and
conduction band.
Germanium are the intrinsic semiconductors. Each
→ The semiconductors behave like atom of the semiconductor has only four electrons
insulators at 0K, because no electrons are available in its outermost orbit. They require four more
in the conduction band. electrons in the valence shell to become a stable
structure. Hence each of the four valence electrons

forms a covalent bond with another four valance
electrons, one from each of the four neighboring
atoms. The two electrons of the covalent bond are
shared by the two atoms.
At absolute zero temperature, all valence

electrons are strongly bounded to the parent atoms;
hence no free electrons are available for conduction.
The intrinsic semiconductor acts like a perfect
Fig. Generation of electron-hole pair in an intrinsic
insulator at absolute zero temperature.
semiconductor.
Since, an electron is a negatively charged and a hole

is positively charged, when a potential difference is
applied in an intrinsic semiconductor, electrons will
move towards the positive terminal and the holes
will flow towards the negative terminal of the
battery. Therefore, the total current in the intrinsic
semiconductor is the sum of currents due to free
electrons and holes.
Fig. Structure of intrinsic semiconductor at absolute

zero temperature.
At room temperature (300 K) some of the

covalent bonds of the semi-conductor break due to
thermal energy and valence electrons of the atom
moves away from the nucleus. They become free to
move in the crystal. When the electron moves away
by breaking a covalent bond, a vacancy is created in
that covalent bond which is called a hole. For every
free electron, a hole is generated. Hence in intrinsic
semiconductors the number of free electrons is
equal to the number of holes. A hole is a positively
charged particle.

Edc Notes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Edc Notes

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Edc Notes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Electronic Devices & Circuits : UNIT – II

Syllabus: Forbidden Band (or) Energy Gap :-

2. 1.Energy Band Diagram:-

The range of energies that an electron may

There Important energy bands are,

→ However if the temperature is raised, → If the temperature is further increased,

Energy Gap, EG = 0 e V Disadvantages:

structure. Hence each of the four valence electrons

At absolute zero temperature, all valence

Since, an electron is a negatively charged and a hole

Fig. Structure of intrinsic semiconductor at absolute

At room temperature (300 K) some of the

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.