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semiconductors

The document outlines the differences between intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors, highlighting their conductivity and charge carrier characteristics. It also explains the distinctions between n-type and p-type semiconductors, detailing the role of impurity atoms and charge carriers. Additionally, it covers the principles of rectification, types of rectifiers, and the operation of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and photodiodes.

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17 views4 pages

semiconductors

The document outlines the differences between intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors, highlighting their conductivity and charge carrier characteristics. It also explains the distinctions between n-type and p-type semiconductors, detailing the role of impurity atoms and charge carriers. Additionally, it covers the principles of rectification, types of rectifiers, and the operation of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and photodiodes.

Uploaded by

absd49322
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Semiconductors

Differences between intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors:

Intrinsic semiconductors Extrinsic semiconductors


 These are pure semiconducting  These are semiconducting tetravalent
tetravalent semiconductor crystals. crystals doped with trivalent or
pentavalent atom.
 Their electrical conductivity is low.  There electrical conductivity is high.
 There is no permitted energy state  There is permitted energy states of
between valance band and conduction the impurity atom between valence
bands. band and conduction band.
 The number of free electrons in  The electrons are majority charge
conduction band is equal to number of carriers in n type semiconductors while
holes in valance band. holes are majority charge carriers in p
type semiconductors.
 Their electrical conductivity depends  Their electrical conductivity depends
on temperature. on temperature as well as on dopant
concentration.

Difference between p-type and n-type semiconductors:

n – type semiconductors p – type semiconductors


 These are extrinsic semiconductors  These are extrinsic semiconductors
obtained by doping impurity atoms of obtained by doping impurity atom of
group V to Si or Ge. group III to Si or Ge crystal.
 The impurity atoms added provide free  The impurity atoms added create
electrons and are called donors. vacancies of electrons (holes) and are
called acceptors.
 The electrons are the majority charge  Holes are majority charge carriers
carriers while holes are minority while holes are minority charge
charge carriers. carriers.
 The free electron density is much  The hole density is much greater than
greater than hole density, i.e., ne >> nh free electron density, i.e., ne << nh

Holes

 A hole is just a vacancy created by the removal of an electron from a covalent bond of
semiconductor.
 It has the same mass as that of the removed electron.
 It has a positive charge of magnitude e (1.6 x 10-19).
Rectifier

The process of converting alternating current into direct current is called rectification and
the device used for this process is called rectifier.

Principle of rectifier – when a p-n junction is forward biased it offers less resistance and
allows current to flow through it but when it is reverse biased it offers high resistance and
doesn’t allow the flow of current through it.

The p-n junction can be used as:

1. Half wave rectifier


2. Full wave rectifier

Half wave rectifier

The AC voltage to be rectified is connected to the primary coil of a step down transformer.
Secondary coil is connected to the diode through a load resistance RL across which output is
obtained.

Working – during the positive half cycle of the input AC, the p-n junction is forward biased.
Thus, the resistance in p-n junction becomes low and current flows. Hence, we get output in
the load.

During negative half cycle of the input AC the p-n junction is reverse biased thus the
resistance of the pn junction is high and current does not flow. Hence no output is obtained
across the load.

Full wave rectifier/ Centre tap full wave rectifier

A full wave rectifier consists of a transformer, two junction diodes D1 and D2 and a load
resistance.
During the positive half cycle of the AC the diode D1 is in forward biased and the diode D2 is
in reverse biased. The forward current flows through diode D1.

During the negative half cycle the diode D1 is in reverse biased and D2 is in forward biased.
Thus, current flows through diode D2. Since output voltage across the load resistance is
obtained for both half cycles of input AC this process is called full wave rectification and
the arrangement is called full wave rectifier.

Light Emitting Diode (LED)

It is an important light source used in optical communication and it converts electrical energy
into light energy. It is forward biased pn junction which emits light spontaneously.

Working – when pn junction is forward biased electrons and holes move towards opposite side
of junction through it. Therefore, there is excess of minority carriers on the either side of
the junction boundary, which recombines with majority carriers near the junction.
Photodiode

A photodiode is a PN-junction diode that consumes light energy to produce an electric


current. They are also called a photo-detector, a light detector, and a photo-sensor.
Photodiodes are designed to work in reverse bias condition. Typical photodiode materials are
Silicon, Germanium and Indium gallium arsenide.

A photodiode is subjected to photons in the form of light which affects the generation of
electron-hole pairs. If the energy of the falling photons (hv) is greater than the energy gap
(Eg) of the semiconductor material, electron-hole pairs are created near the depletion region
of the diode. The electron-hole pairs created are separated from each other before
recombining due to the electric field of the junction. The direction of the electric field in
the diode forces the electrons to move towards the n-side and consequently the holes move
towards the p-side. As a result of the increase in the number of electrons on the n-side and
holes on the p-side, a rise in the electromotive force is observed. Now when an external load
is connected to the system, a current flow is observed through it.

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