Updated Unit 1 - Semiconductors Question Bank AY-2022-2023

Unit 1- Semiconductors Question Bank AY-2023-2024
Short answer:
1. Describe the formation of energy bands in solids.

2. What will happen with the wave functions of atoms, when atoms approach one another?
2. Define bands in solids and explain the valence band, the conduction band and the forbidden
energy gap.
3. Differentiate solids according to energy band structure.
3 Why the value of Fermi function is extremely small for large energies?
4. Define semiconductors. What are their characteristics properties?
5. If you are going to design high speed electronic device, which type of semiconductor (i.e. n-
type or p-type) you would prefer and why?
6. Can an intrinsic semiconductor behave as an insulator at some temperature?
7. State the law of mass action for a semiconductor.
Long answer:
1. What do you mean by semiconductors? Explain the term intrinsic and extrinsic
semiconductors.
2. Show that for an intrinsic semiconductor, at low temperature, Fermi level lies at the half of
the energy band gap.
3. Why does the electrical conductivity of a pure semiconductor increase with a rise of
temperature? Mention a device where this property is used.
4. Explain clearly the meaning of hole as referred to in a semiconductor. What is meant by an
intrinsic and an extrinsic semiconductor? Is an n-type semiconductor negatively charged?
5. Define the following terms: (a) Doping, (b) Dopant, (c) Donors, (d) Acceptors, (e) mobility
of a charge carrier and (f) drift velocity.
6. Discuss the properties of n-type and p-type semiconductors.
7. How does the free electron concentration increase over the intrinsic value in an n-type
semiconductor? Will the hole concentration remain constant at the intrinsic value? If not,
why?
8. How does the hole concentration increase over the intrinsic value in a p-type semiconductor?
Will the electron concentration remain constant at its intrinsic value? If not, why?
9. At a high temperature an extrinsic semiconductor behaves like an intrinsic one. Why?
10. Prove that for a given material consisting of different regions with different carrier
concentration, Fermi level will remain invariant at equilibrium.
11. What is Hall effect? Find the expression for Hall coefficient for a current carrying extrinsic
semiconductor bar.
12. Discuss two applications of Hall effect.
Numerical Questions on Semiconductors
1. A Si sample, with intrinsic carrier concentration of 9.8 x 1015 /m3 at 300 K, is made n-
type material. If the density of donor atoms is 1021 /m3, determine the electron and hole
densities. [Ans. nn = 1021 /m3, pn = 9.6 x 1010 /m3]
2. For an intrinsic semiconductor with energy gap of 0.7 eV, determine the position of the
Fermi level at 300 K if 𝑚ℎ∗ is five times of 𝑚𝑒∗ .
[Ans. 0.3186 eV below the conduction band]
3. The resistivity of a doped Si sample is 8.9 x 10-3 Ω-m. The Hall coefficient of the sample
is found to be 3.06 x 10-4 m3/C. Assuming a single carrier conduction, find the
concentration and mobility of charge carriers.
[Ans. 2.04 x 1022 /m3; 0.0344 m2V-1s-1]
4. An electric field of 100 V/m is applied to a sample of n-type semiconductor whose Hall
coefficient is - 0.0125 m3/C. Determine the current density in the sample, assuming the
electron mobility to be 0.36 m2V-1s-1. [Ans. 2880 A/m2]
5. A copper strip 2 cm wide and 1 mm thick is placed in a magnetic field B = 1.5 Wb/m2.
If a current of 200 A is set up in the strip, calculate the Hall voltage that appears across
the strip. Given RH = 6 x 10-7 m3/C. [Ans. VH = 0.18 V]
6. Calculate the probability that an energy level (a) kT (b) 3kT above the fermi level is
occupied by an electron. [Ans: (a) f (E) = 0.268 (b) f (E) = 0.047]
7. Assume Si [Eg = 1.12 eV] at room temperature (300 K) with the Fermi level located
exactly in the middle of the energy band gap. Find the probability that a state located at
the bottom of the conduction band is filled. [Ans. 4.43 x 10-10]
8. The effective mass of the conduction electron in Si is 0.31 times the free electron mass.
Find the conduction electron density at 300 K, assuming that the Fermi level lies exactly
at the centre of the energy band gap (1.11 eV). [Ans: 2.13 x 1015 m-3]
9. In an n-type semiconductor, the Fermi level lies 0.3 eV below the conduction band at
room temperature. If the temperature is increased to 330 K, find the position of Fermi
level. [Ans. 0.33 eV below conduction band]
10. At 300 K the intrinsic carrier concentration of silicon is 1.5 × 1016 m-3. If the electron
and the hole mobilities are 0.13 and 0.05 m2/V.s, respectively, determine the intrinsic
resistivity of silicon at 300 K. [Ans. Resistivity = 2.314 x 103 Ω-m]
11. Pure silicon at 300 K has electron and hole density each equal to 1.5 x 1016 m-3. One of
every 1.0 x 107 atoms are replaced by a phosphorus atom.
(a) What charge carrier density will the phosphorus add? Assume that all the donor
electrons are in the conduction band.
(b) Find the ratio of the charge carrier density in the doped silicon to that for the pure
silicon.
Given: Density of silicon = 2330 kg-m-3; Molar mass of silicon = 28.1 g/mol; Avogadro
constant NA = 6.02 x 1023 mol-3. [Ans: (a) 5 x 1021 m-3; 1.7 x 105]
12. Calculate the potential barrier for Ge p-n junction at room temperature, if p and n
regions are doped equally to the extent of 1 atom per 106 Ge atoms.
[Given. concentration of atoms in Ge crystal = 4.4 x 1028 m-3 and intrinsic carrier
concentration ni = 2.4 x 1019 m-3] [Ans. 0.39 V]

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Unit 1- Semiconductors Question Bank AY-2023-2024

1. Describe the formation of energy bands in solids.

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