Chapter 1

Semiconductors & PN Junctions

Dang Nguyen Chau Click to edit Master subtitle style
Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology
Email: chaudn@hcmut.edu.vn
The periodic table

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Atomic Structure
Atom: the smallest particle
of an element that contains
three basis particles
Protons (positive charge)
Neutrons (uncharged
particles)
Electrons (negative
charge): orbit around the
nucleus

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Semiconductors, Conductors, and Insulators
Materials can be classified into 3 groups:
Conductors: have one valence electron that loosely bound to
the atom. This valence electron can easily break away from their
atoms and become free electron.
E.g.: copper, silver, aluminum, gold
Insulators: material that does not conduct electrical current
under normal conditions. The valence electrons are tightly bound
to the atoms.

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Semiconductors, Conductors, and Insulators (1)

Semiconductors: material that is between conductors and

insulators in its ability to conduct electrical current. They are
characterized by atoms with four valence electrons.

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Semiconductors, Conductors, and Insulators (2)
Energy gap: amount of energy that a valence electron must have
in order to jump from the valence band to the conduction band.

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Atomic Structure of Semiconductors

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Semiconductor Silicon (Si)
Si: 4th column in periodic
table
4 valence electrons shared
through covalent bonds

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Intrinsic Semiconductor Silicon (Si)
Free Electrons and Holes
At low temperatures, all covalent bonds are intact and very few
electrons are available to conduct electric current.
At room temperature, some of the bonds are broken by thermal
ionization and some electrons are freed. This creates a hole.

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Intrinsic Semiconductor Silicon (Si)

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Intrinsic Semiconductor Silicon (Si)
Two current types
Electron current: the movement of free electrons.
Hole current: the movement of holes that move from one place to another in the
crystal structure.

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Intrinsic Semiconductor Silicon (Si)
Free Electrons and Holes
Free electrons and holes move randomly across silicon crystal
structure.

Recombination: electron filling a hole

In thermal equilibrium:

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Intrinsic Semiconductor Silicon (Si)

Electrons and Holes move in Si via drift and diffusion

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N type Doped Semiconductor

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P type Doped Semiconductor

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N type and P type Semiconductor
N-type semiconductor
Pentavalent impurity atom with
five valence electrons is added.
Each pentavalent atom forms
covalent bonds with four adjacent
silicon atoms => leave one extra
electron without bonds.
The pentavalent atom gives up
an electron => donor atom.
Majority carriers: electrons.
Minority carriers: holes.
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P-type semiconductor
Trivalent impurity atom with
three valence electrons is added.
Each trivalent atom forms
covalent bonds with four adjacent
silicon atoms => result one hole
since four electrons required.
The trivalent atom can take an
electron => acceptor atom.
Majority carriers: holes.
Minority carriers: electrons.
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Band Diagrams

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P-N junction
When N-type and P-type dopants are introduced side-by-side in a
semiconductor, a PN junction is formed.

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P-N junction (1)
In the n-region, free electrons near the junction begin to diffuse
across the junction into p-region where they combine with holes near
the junction => create a layer of positive charges.

In the p-region, as the electrons from n region move across the

junction, the holes in the p-region are lost => create a layer of
negative charges.

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P-N junction (2)
These two layers form the depletion region (min ngho).

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P-N junction (3)
Many positive and negative charges on opposite sides of the p-n
junction => form an electric field (in trng tip xc).

Two current types:

Majority-carrier diffusion current (dng khuych tn): caused
by majority carriers diffusing into other region.
Minority-carrier drift current (dng tri): caused by minority
carriers sweeping across the junction due to the electric field.

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P-N junction (4)
The potential difference of the electric field across the depletion
region is called barrier potential (hng ro in th).

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Forward-bias (phn cc thun)

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Forward-bias (phn cc thun) (1)
Forward bias: the condition that allows current through the p-n
junction.

The negative side of VBIAS is connected to the n region.

The positive side of VBIAS is connected to the p region.

The bias voltage VBIAS must be greater than the barrier potential.

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Forward-bias (phn cc thun) (2)

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Forward-bias (phn cc thun) (3)

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Reverse Bias (phn cc ngc)

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Reverse Bias (phn cc ngc) (1)
Reverse bias: the condition that essentially prevents current
through the p-n junction.

The negative side of VBIAS is connected to the p region.

The positive side of VBIAS is connected to the n region.

The depletion region is much wider than in forward bias

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Voltage-Current Characteristics

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