KIE

1006 : Electronic Physics

Week 1:
Introduction to Semiconductors
(Types of Solids)
Lecturer : Dr. Sharifah Fatmadiana Wan Muhd Hatta

To arrange for appointments for small group discussions :

Email: sh_fatmadiana@um.edu.my
(or watsapp: 0176119960 )

1
 Course Structure
• 3 credits
• 3 hours/ week
(Tuesday 8am-10am, Friday 9am-10am)
• Marks:
– 60% Final Exam
– 20% Test
– 20% Assignment (TCAD and written)

6 February 2018 Lecture 1 2

 References

1. Donald Neaman, “Semiconductor Physics and

Devices,” 3rd Edition, 2003, Mc-Graw-Hill.
2. J. Singh, “Semiconductor Devices – An
Introduction,” 1994, Mc-Graw-Hill.

6 February 2018 Lecture 1 3

 Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students are able to:
1. Describe the principles of quantum mechanics to
explain the behaviour of charge carriers in solids
2. Determine charge carriers concentration and all
factors that will affect their values in intrinsic and
extrinsic semiconductors.
3. Present qualitatively and quantitatively the
physical structure and characteristics of pn-
junction under different biasing
6 February 2018 Lecture 1 4
 New words to capture in this course!

c tors
on d u Quantum
S emic Mechan
ics
rriers
ge Ca
Char PN Juncti
ons

6 February 2018 Lecture 1 5

High-flying career awaits!

6
 Electronic Device are all around us…

Semiconductors are used to fabricate chips for every electronic

device, including computers, cell phones, iPods, BlackBerries, and
GPSs. Each chip may contain a million devices that perform
different functions. 7
 This week, we shall cover on:
• Metal VS Semiconductor VS Insulator
Materials
• Types of Solids (classifications of solids..non-
crystalline, crystalline)
Questions you can ask yourselves by the end of this week (and next) :
Ø What are the 3 classifications of solids?
Ø How do I differentiate between metals, semiconductors and
insulators?
Ø What is meant by electrical properties of solids?
Ø Can I describe the concept of a unit cell?

6 February 2018 Lecture 1 8

electrical properties
electrical properties

[iʹlek·trə·kəl ʹpräp·ərd·ēz]
(electricity)

Properties of a substance which determine its response to an

electric field, such as its resistivity (ρ, Ω⋅m) or conductivity (S/m) .

6 February 2018 Lecture 1 9

 There are three categories of solids, based on
their conducting properties
CONDUCTOR INSULATOR SEMICONDUCTOR

Power cable
Ø Insulators have Ø Silicon is an example
tightly bound of a single element
electrons with few semiconductor. It has
Ø Copper is an
electrons available four electrons in its
example of a
for conduction. valence band
conductor.
Ø These materials can
Ø Has one electron in See video on metal
break down and
its valence band, vs insulator vs
conduct electricity if
which can easily insulator..
the voltage is high
escape to the
enough.
conduction band.
10
 Periodic Table

6 February 2018 Lecture 1 11

 Remember THE BOHR MODEL learnt
in Form 5 physics/chemistry?
Silicon is the primary semiconductor used in VLSI systems
Si has 14 Electrons
The Silicon atom
Energy Bands
(Shells) Valence Band

Nucleus

At T=0K, the highest

energy band
occupied by an
Silicon has 4 outer shell / electron is called the
valence electrons valence band.
6 February 2018 Lecture 1 12
What the heck is this about Valence and Conduction Bands??

Ø The electrons in the outer most shell, or valence shell, are known
as valence electrons.
Ø These valence electrons are responsible for the chemical properties of the
chemical elements.
Ø Atoms try to form a complete outer shell of 8 electrons (two for the L shell).
Ø Atoms may give away a few electrons to expose an underlying complete
shell.
Ø Metals has one electron in its valence band, which can easily escape to the
conduction band.
Ø The ability to easily give away an electron makes these elements excellent
conductors.

6 February 2018 Lecture 1 13

What the heck is this about Valence and Conduction Bands??
Continued…

Ø Atoms may accept a few electrons to complete the shell.

Ø Group VIIA elements: Fl, Cl, Br, and I all have 7 electrons in the
outer shell.
Ø These elements readily accept an electron to fill up the outer shell
with a full 8 electrons. These elements which do not give up
electrons are insulators.

6 February 2018 Lecture 1 14

 Valence and Conduction Bands

You will learn more about these bands

when we learn on ‘Energy Bands’ and
‘Energy Bandgap’ in week 3
6 February 2018 Lecture 1 15
 Anyway, a brief view on ‘Energy
Bands’ and ‘Energy Bandgap’

6 February 2018 Lecture 1 16

 The electrical conductivity at room temperature
is quite different for each of these three kinds of
solids

• Metals and alloys have the highest conductivities

• followed by semiconductors

• and then by insulators

Properties of metallic solids:

qHigh electrical conductivity

qHigh thermal conductivity
qLuster
qDuctility
6 February 2018 Lecture 1 17
 Semiconductors

6 February 2018 Lecture 1 18

 Semiconductors …..(continue)

6 February 2018 Lecture 1 19

 Periodic Table and Semic. Materials
Types of semiconductors:

Elemental (Intrinsic) –
Silicon (Si), Germanium (Ge)

Compound (Extrinsic) –
Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), Indium
Phosphide (InP), Silicon Carbide
(SiC).
Ø Offer high performance
(higher frequency, higher
power) than elemental
semiconductors due to mixing
of materials.
Ø However, not all combinations
possible due to lattice
a is the mismatch and room
lattice temperature instability.
constant.
6 February 2018 Lecture 1 20
 Semiconductor Materials
• Semiconductor Materials:
- conductivities between those of metals and insulators

• Elemental semiconductor materials:

- group IV of the periodic table

• Compound semiconductor materials

- combinations of group III and group V elements

6 February 2018 Lecture 1 21

 Semiconductor Materials

6 February 2018 Lecture 1 22

 Types of Solids
• Solids can broadly be classified into two types based on the
arrangement of units of matter. The units of matter may be atoms,
molecules or ions.
• Types of Solids:
Crystalline solids and
Non-crystalline (or) Amorphous solids

Schematics of 3 general types of crystal :

Amorphous polycrystalline single crystal

6 February 2018 Lecture 1 23

 Types of Solids
Crystalline Solids
A substance is said to be
crystalline when the
arrangement of units of matter is
regular and periodic.
A crystalline material has
directional properties and
therefore called as anisotropic
substance.
A crystal has a sharp melting
point.
6 February 2018
Non- Crystalline Solids
In amorphous solids, the
constituent particles are not
arranged in an orderly manner.
They are randomly distributed.
They do not have directional
properties and so they are called
as `isotropic’ substances.
They have wide range of
melting point and do not possess
a regular shape.
Lecture 1 24
 Types of Solids
Crystalline Solids Non- Crystalline Solids
It possesses a regular shape and if Example : Glass, Plastics,
it is broken, all broken pieces have Rubber
the same regular shape.

A crystalline material can either

be a single (mono) crystal or a
polycrystal. A single crystal consists
of only one crystal, whereas the
polycrystalline material consists of
many crystals separated by well-
defined boundaries.

Example:
Metallic crystals – Cu, Ag, Al, Mg
Non-metallic crystals – Carbon,Silicon,Germanium,
6 February 2018 Lecture 1 25