CHAPTER ELEVEN contd

EXTRINSIC SEMICONDUCTORS
11.3.1 Qualitative effect of Fermi level on ionization fraction
Let us first start with a qualitative understanding of effect of the Fermi level on ionization
fraction, if we add some donor to the semiconductor. If (suppose) Fermi energy is
somewhere near the intrinsic level (we have yet to find out where it will be), then the
fraction of donor ionized will be almost 1 according to 11.6 (E
F
-E
D
is large negative
value). If Fermi energy moves to E
D
level itself then fraction ionized is according to
11.6. So, if E
F
is at donor level then only half of the donors would have given up their
electron. So one can see that moving the Fermi level can change the ionization fraction.
Same argument can be built for acceptors also.

11.4 Compensation and charge neutrality
Suppose we have added N
D
donors and N
A
acceptors (N
D
>>N
A
), what is the picture at
0K? Electron from donors can go to acceptors and thereby reduce their overall energy.
Now, if we raise the temperature, then only available electrons (N
D
-N
A
) can go to
conduction band. The same argument will hold for N
A
>>N
D
.

Further, a material in equilibrium has no charge build up, hence charge neutrality in the
material must be maintained:


11.5 Quantitaive estimation of n and p
We know from Ch. 10, for non-degenrate semiconductor


Since we do not know E
F
apriori, let us find value of n and p for different conditions of
ionization.
11.5.1Determine n and p when there is complete ionization (case N
D
>>N
A
for the
following discussion)
and ,
Inserting this into neutrality condition and using the np product property of
semiconductor (see lecture notes for details), we find the solution for n as

11.8

As you can see, we know all parameters on the right side and hence it is possible to
calculate n and p ( using ). For a given dopant level, a special case is when
, we find that n = or our qualitative picture of compensation
discussed earlier is correct. Similarly, if N
A
>>N
D,
it will be p =N
A-
-N
D
.

From n and p, we can calculate the Fermi level for the extrinsic semiconductor in this
condition using equation from Ch.10.

This point can be easily visualized if we plot the carrier concentration (ln n) of an
extrinsic semiconductor having N
D
>>N
A
as a function of 1/T, as shown in Fig. 11.5.
First we plot the n
i
concentration for this semiconductor as 1/T and slope of this curve
can be used to calculate the bandgap of the semiconductor. In the same plot, we make a
line for N
D
-N
A
, so at temperature T
max
, where intrinsic carrier concentration starts
becoming equal to N
D
-N
A
, for temperatures below this carrier concentration remain
constant at n = N
D
-N
A
as long as all dopants are ionized and is
satisfied. This region is known as the exhaustion region for the extrinsic semiconductor.

Fig. 11.5 Schematic of carrier concentration in an extrinsic semiconductor.

11.5.2 Determine n and p when there is incomplete ionization
If there is incompete ionization then 11.8 reduces to
11.9
Now, 11.9 for a given semiconductor has to be solved numerically as we know all the
expressions, but solution has to be obtained numerically. We can still look at some
special cases.
First case is when , but all donors are not ionized . For this reason, it
is also known as freeze out zone, as all electrons cannot be excited to the conduction
band and this determines the lower limit of temperature where exhaustion zone ends.
Starting from the neutrality condition again we can write

Using the ionization fraction expression and assumption the p <<n:

Rewriting it as



Observe, there is no Fermi level required in this equation. This can be rewritten in the
following form:
11.10
Since we are looking at freeze-out region, we know N
D
-N
A
>n (N
D
>n, as N
D
>>N
A
) now
there can be two cases, when n>N
A
and n <N
A
.
When n>N
A,
the Eq. 11.10 reduces to
11.11

So, at T
min
temperature the ln n vs 1/T plot will show a slope given by Eq. 11.11
.

When n <N
A
, the slope will be . So, in Fig. 11.5, around n=N
A
there will be a slope
change. This now becomes a way to estimate N
A



Now, Fig.11.6 ( can be obtained experimentally) can be used to estimate Eg, E
D
-E
C
, N
D

and N
A
for a given extrinsic sample.