14.3 Carbon, silicon and germanium have four valence electrons each. These are characterised by valence and conduction bands separated 341 Reprint 2025-26 Physics by energy band gap respectively equal to (Eg)C, (Eg)Si and (Eg)Ge. Which of the following statements is true? (a) (Eg)Si < (Eg)Ge < (Eg)C (b) (Eg)C < (Eg)Ge > (Eg)Si (c) (Eg)C > (Eg)Si > (Eg)Ge (d) (Eg)C = (Eg)Si = (Eg)Ge 14.4 In an unbiased p-n junction, holes diffuse from the p-region to n-region because (a) free electrons in the n-region attract them. (b) they move across the junction by the potential difference. (c) hole concentration in p-region is more as compared to n-region. (d) All the above. 14.5 When a forward bias is applied to a p-n junction, it (a) raises the potential barrier. (b) reduces the majority carrier current to zero. (c) lowers the potential barrier. (d) None of the above. 14.6 In half-wave rectification, what is the output frequency if the input frequency is 50 Hz. What is the output frequency of a full-wave rectifier for the same input frequency. Reprint 2025-26 Notes Reprint 2025-26 Physics APPENDICES APPENDIX A 1 THE GREEK ALPHABET APPENDIX A 2 COMMON SI PREFIXES AND SYMBOLS FOR MULTIPLES AND SUB-MULTIPLES Reprint 2025-26 AppendicesAnswers APPENDIX A 3 SOME IMPORTANT CONSTANTS OTHER USEFUL CONSTANTS 345 Reprint 2025-26 Physics ANSWERS CHAPTER 9 9.1 v = –54 cm. The image is real, inverted and magnified. The size of the image is 5.0 cm. As u ® f, v ® ¥; for u < f, image is virtual. 9.2 v = 6.7 cm. Magnification = 5/9, i.e., the size of the image is 2.5 cm. As u ® ¥; v ® f (but never beyond) while m ® 0. 9.3 1.33; 1.7 cm 9.4 nga = 1.51; nwa = 1.32; ngw = 1.144; which gives sin r = 0.6181 i.e., r ~ 38°. 9.5 r = 0.8 × tan ic and sin ci = 1/1.33 ≅ 0.75 , where r is the radius (in m) of the largest circle from which light comes out and ic is the critical angle for water-air interface, Area = 2.6 m2 9.6 n ≅ 1.53 and Dm for prism in water ≅ 10° 9.7 R = 22 cm 9.8 Here the object is virtual and the image is real. u = +12 cm (object on right; virtual) (a) f = +20 cm. Image is real and at 7.5 cm from the lens on its right side. (b) f = –16 cm. Image is real and at 48 cm from the lens on its right side. 9.9 v = 8.4 cm, image is erect and virtual. It is diminished to a size 1.8 cm. As u ® ¥, v ® f (but never beyond f while m ® 0). Note that when the object is placed at the focus of the concave lens (21 cm), the image is located at 10.5 cm (not at infinity as one might wrongly think). 9.10 A diverging lens of focal length 60 cm 9.11 (a) ve = –25 cm and fe = 6.25 cm give ue = –5 cm; vO = (15 – 5) cm = 10 cm, fO = uO = – 2.5 cm; Magnifying power = 20 (b) uO = – 2.59 cm. Magnifying power = 13.5. 9.12 Angular magnification of the eye-piece for image at 25 cm 25 25   1  11; | u e |= cm = 2 .27cm ; vO = 7.2 cm 2.5 11 Separation = 9.47 cm; Magnifying power = 88 9.13 24; 150 cm 9.14 (a) Angular magnification = 1500 346 (b) Diameter of the image = 13.7 cm. Reprint 2025-26 Answers

14.2 Which of the statements given in Exercise 14.1 is true for p-type semiconductos.

14.5 p-n JUNCTION A p-n junction is the basic building block of many semiconductor devices like diodes, transistor, etc. A clear understanding of the junction behaviour is important to analyse the working of other semiconductor devices. We will now try to understand how a junction is formed and how the junction behaves under the influence of external applied voltage (also called bias). 14.5.1 p-n junction formation Consider a thin p-type silicon (p-Si) semiconductor wafer. By adding Formationprecisely a small quantity of pentavelent impurity, part of the p-Si wafer can be converted into n-Si. There are several processes by which a and semiconductor can be formed. The wafer now contains p-region and n-region and a metallurgical junction between p-, and n- region. working Two important processes occur during the formation of a p-n junction: of diffusion and drift. We know that in an n-type semiconductor, the p-nconcentration of electrons (number of electrons per unit volume) is more compared to the concentration of holes. Similarly, in a p-type semiconductor, the concentration of holes is more than the concentration junction of electrons. During the formation of p-n junction, and due to the concentration gradient across p-, and n- sides, holes diffuse from p-side diode to n-side (p ® n) and electrons diffuse from n-side to p-side (n ® p). This motion of charge carries gives rise to diffusion current across the junction. When an electron diffuses from n ® p, it leaves behind an ionised donor on n-side. This ionised donor (positive charge) is immobile as it is bonded to the surrounding atoms. As the electrons continue to diffuse http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/solids/pnjun.html from n ® p, a layer of positive charge (or positive space-charge region) on n-side of the junction is developed. Similarly, when a hole diffuses from p ® n due to the concentration gradient, it leaves behind an ionised acceptor (negative charge) which is immobile. As the holes continue to diffuse, a layer of negative charge (or negative space-charge region) on the p-side of the junction is developed. This space-charge region on either side of the junction together is known as depletion region as the electrons and holes taking part in the initial movement across the junction depleted the region of its free charges (Fig. 14.10). The thickness of depletion region is of the order of one-tenth of a micrometre. Due to the positive space-charge region on n-side of the junction and negative space charge region on p-side of the junction, an electric field directed from positive charge towards negative charge develops. Due to this field, an electron on p-side of the junction moves to n-side and a hole on n-side of the junction moves to p- FIGURE 14.10 p-n junction side. The motion of charge carriers due to the electric field formation process. is called drift. Thus a drift current, which is opposite in direction to the diffusion current (Fig. 14.10) starts. 333 Reprint 2025-26 Physics Initially, diffusion current is large and drift current is small. As the diffusion process continues, the space-charge regions on either side of the junction extend, thus increasing the electric field strength and hence drift current. This process continues until the diffusion current equals the drift current. Thus a p-n junction is formed. In a p-n junction under equilibrium there is no net current. The loss of electrons from the n-region and the gain of electron by the p-region causes a difference of potential across the junction of the two regions. The polarity of this potential is such as to oppose further flow of carriers so that a condition of equilibrium exists. Figure 14.11 shows the p-n junction at equilibrium and the potential across the junction. The n-material has lost electrons, and p material has acquired electrons. The n material is thus positive relative to the p FIGURE 14.11 (a) Diode under material. Since this potential tends to prevent the movement of equilibrium (V = 0), (b) Barrier electron from the n region into the p region, it is often called a potential under no bias. barrier potential. Example 14.3 Can we take one slab of p-type semiconductor and physically join it to another n-type semiconductor to get p-n junction? 14.3 Solution No! Any slab, howsoever flat, will have roughness much larger than the inter-atomic crystal spacing (~2 to 3 Å) and hence continuous contact at the atomic level will not be possible. The junction EXAMPLE will behave as a discontinuity for the flowing charge carriers. 14.6 SEMICONDUCTOR DIODE A semiconductor diode [Fig. 14.12(a)] is basically a p-n junction with metallic contacts provided at the ends for the application of an external voltage. It is a two terminal device. A p-n junction diode is symbolically represented as shown in Fig. 14.12(b). The direction of arrow indicates the conventional direction of current (when the diode is under forward p n bias). The equilibrium barrier potential can be altered by applying an external voltage V across the diode. The FIGURE 14.12 (a) Semiconductor diode, situation of p-n junction diode under equilibrium (b) Symbol for p-n junction diode. (without bias) is shown in Fig. 14.11(a) and (b). 14.6.1 p-n junction diode under forward bias When an external voltage V is applied across a semiconductor diode such that p-side is connected to the positive terminal of the battery and n-side to the negative terminal [Fig. 14.13(a)], it is said to be forward biased. The applied voltage mostly drops across the depletion region and the voltage drop across the p-side and n-side of the junction is negligible. (This is because the resistance of the depletion region – a region where there are no charges – is very high compared to the resistance of n-side 334 and p-side.) The direction of the applied voltage (V ) is opposite to the Reprint 2025-26 Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits built-in potential V0. As a result, the depletion layer width decreases and the barrier height is reduced [Fig. 14.13(b)]. The effective barrier height under forward bias is (V0 – V ). If the applied voltage is small, the barrier potential will be reduced only slightly below the equilibrium value, and only a small number of carriers in the material—those that happen to be in the uppermost energy levels—will possess enough energy to cross the junction. So the current will be small. If we increase the applied voltage significantly, the barrier height will be reduced and more number of carriers will have the required energy. Thus the current increases. Due to the applied voltage, electrons from n-side cross the depletion region and reach p-side (where they are minority carries). Similarly, holes from p-side cross the junction and reach the n-side (where they are minority carries). This process under forward bias is known as minority carrier injection. At the FIGURE 14.13 (a) p-njunction boundary, on each side, the minority carrier junction diode under forwardconcentration increases significantly compared to the locations bias, (b) Barrier potentialfar from the junction. (1) without battery, (2) Low Due to this concentration gradient, the injected electrons on battery voltage, and (3) High p-side diffuse from the junction edge of p-side to the other end voltage battery. of p-side. Likewise, the injected holes on n-side diffuse from the junction edge of n-side to the other end of n-side (Fig. 14.14). This motion of charged carriers on either side gives rise to current. The total diode forward current is sum of hole diffusion current and conventional current due to electron diffusion. The magnitude of this current is usually in mA. 14.6.2 p-n junction diode under reverse bias When an external voltage (V ) is applied across the diode such FIGURE 14.14 Forward bias that n-side is positive and p-side is negative, it is said to be minority carrier injection. reverse biased [Fig.14.15(a)]. The applied voltage mostly drops across the depletion region. The direction of applied voltage is same as the direction of barrier potential. As a result, the barrier height increases and the depletion region widens due to the change in the electric field. The effective barrier height under reverse bias is (V0 + V ), [Fig. 14.15(b)]. This suppresses the flow of electrons from n ® p and holes from p ® n. Thus, diffusion current, decreases enormously compared to the diode under forward bias. The electric field direction of the junction is such that if electrons on p-side or holes on n-side in their random motion come close to the junction, they will be swept to its majority zone. This drift of carriers gives rise to current. The drift current is of the order of a few mA. This is quite low because it is due to the motion of carriers from their minority side to their majority side across the junction. The drift current is also there under forward bias but it is negligible (mA) when compared with current due to injected carriers which is usually in mA. The diode reverse current is not very much dependent on the applied voltage. Even a small voltage is sufficient to sweep the minority carriers 335from one side of the junction to the other side of the junction. The current Reprint 2025-26 Physics is not limited by the magnitude of the applied voltage but is limited due to the concentration of the minority carrier on either side of the junction. The current under reverse bias is essentially voltage independent upto a critical reverse bias voltage, known as breakdown voltage (Vbr ). When V = Vbr, the diode reverse current increases sharply. Even a slight increase in the bias voltage causes large change in the current. If the reverse current is not limited by an external circuit below the rated value (specified by the manufacturer) the p-n junction will get destroyed. Once it exceeds the rated value, the diode gets destroyed due to overheating. This can happen even for the diode under forward bias, if the forward current exceeds the rated value. The circuit arrangement for studying the V-I characteristics of a diode, (i.e., the variation of current as a function of applied FIGURE 14.15 (a) Diode voltage) are shown in Fig. 14.16(a) and (b). The battery is connected under reverse bias, to the diode through a potentiometer (or reheostat) so that the(b) Barrier potential under applied voltage to the diode can be changed. For different values reverse bias. of voltages, the value of the current is noted. A graph between V and I is obtained as in Fig. 14.16(c). Note that in forward bias measurement, we use a milliammeter since the expected current is large (as explained in the earlier section) while a micrometer is used in reverse bias to measure the current. You can see in Fig. 14.16(c) that in forward FIGURE 14.16 Experimental circuit arrangement for studying V-I characteristics of a p-n junction diode (a) in forward bias, (b) in reverse bias. (c) Typical V-I 336 characteristics of a silicon diode. Reprint 2025-26 Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits bias, the current first increases very slowly, almost negligibly, till the voltage across the diode crosses a certain value. After the characteristic voltage, the diode current increases significantly (exponentially), even for a very small increase in the diode bias voltage. This voltage is called the threshold voltage or cut-in voltage (~0.2V for germanium diode and ~0.7 V for silicon diode). For the diode in reverse bias, the current is very small (~mA) and almost remains constant with change in bias. It is called reverse saturation current. However, for special cases, at very high reverse bias (break down voltage), the current suddenly increases. This special action of the diode is discussed later in Section 14.8. The general purpose diode are not used beyond the reverse saturation current region. The above discussion shows that the p-n junction diode primerly allows the flow of current only in one direction (forward bias). The forward bias resistance is low as compared to the reverse bias resistance. This property is used for rectification of ac voltages as discussed in the next section. For diodes, we define a quantity called dynamic resistance as the ratio of small change in voltage DV to a small change in current DI: ∆ V rd = (14.6) ∆I Example 14.4 The V-I characteristic of a silicon diode is shown in the Fig. 14.17. Calculate the resistance of the diode at (a) ID = 15 mA and (b) VD = –10 V. FIGURE 14.17 Solution Considering the diode characteristics as a straight line between I = 10 mA to I = 20 mA passing through the origin, we can calculate the resistance using Ohm’s law. (a) From the curve, at I = 20 mA, V = 0.8 V; I = 10 mA, V = 0.7 V rfb = DV/DI = 0.1V/10 mA = 10 W (b) From the curve at V = –10 V, I = –1 mA, EXAMPLE Therefore, rrb = 10 V/1mA= 1.0 × 107 W 14.4 337 Reprint 2025-26 Physics 14.7 APPLICATION OF JUNCTION DIODE AS A RECTIFIER From the V-I characteristic of a junction diode we see that it allows current to pass only when it is forward biased. So if an alternating voltage is applied across a diode the current flows only in that part of the cycle when the diode is forward biased. This property is used to rectify alternating voltages and the circuit used for this purpose is called a rectifier. If an alternating voltage is applied across a diode in series with a load, a pulsating voltage will appear across the load only during the half cycles of the ac input during which the diode is forward biased. Such rectifier circuit, as shown in Fig. 14.18, is called a half-wave rectifier. The secondary of a transformer supplies the desired ac voltage across terminals A and B. When the voltage at A is positive, the diode is forward biased and it conducts. When A is negative, the diode is reverse-biased and it does not conduct. The reverse saturation current of a diode is negligible and can be considered equal to zero for practical purposes. (The reverse breakdown voltage of the diode must be sufficiently higher than the peak ac voltage at the secondary of the transformer to protect the diode from reverse breakdown.) Therefore, in the positive half-cycle of ac there FIGURE 14.18 (a) Half-wave rectifier is a current through the load resistor RL and we circuit, (b) Input ac voltage and output get an output voltage, as shown in Fig. 14.18(b), voltage waveforms from the rectifier circuit. whereas there is no current in the negative half- cycle. In the next positive half-cycle, again we get the output voltage. Thus, the output voltage, though still varying, is restricted to only one direction and is said to be rectified. Since the rectified output of this circuit is only for half of the input ac wave it is called as half-wave rectifier. The circuit using two diodes, shown in Fig. 14.19(a), gives output rectified voltage corresponding to both the positive as well as negative half of the ac cycle. Hence, it is known as full-wave rectifier. Here the p-side of the two diodes are connected to the ends of the secondary of the transformer. The n-side of the diodes are connected together and the output is taken between this common point of diodes and the midpoint of the secondary of the transformer. So for a full-wave rectifier the secondary of the transformer is provided with a centre tapping and so it is called centre-tap transformer. As can be seen from Fig.14.19(c) the voltage rectified by each diode is only half the total secondary voltage. Each diode rectifies only for half the cycle, but the two do so for alternate cycles. Thus, the output between their common terminals and the centre- tap of the transformer becomes a full-wave rectifier output. (Note that there is another circuit of full wave rectifier which does not need a centre- 338 tap transformer but needs four diodes.) Suppose the input voltage to A Reprint 2025-26 Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits with respect to the centre tap at any instant is positive. It is clear that, at that instant, voltage at B being out of phase will be negative as shown in Fig.14.19(b). So, diode D1 gets forward biased and conducts (while D2 being reverse biased is not conducting). Hence, during this positive half cycle we get an output current (and a output voltage across the load resistor RL) as shown in Fig.14.19(c). In the course of the ac cycle when the voltage at A becomes negative with respect to centre tap, the voltage at B would be positive. In this part of the cycle diode D1 would not conduct but diode D2 would, giving an output current and output voltage (across RL) during the negative half cycle of the input ac. Thus, we get output voltage during both the positive as well as the negative half of the cycle. Obviously, this is a more efficient circuit for getting rectified voltage or current than the half- wave rectifier. The rectified voltage is in the form of pulses of the shape of half sinusoids. Though it is unidirectional it does not have a steady value. To get steady dc output from the pulsating voltage normally a capacitor is connected across the output terminals (parallel to the load RL). One can also use an inductor in series with RL for FIGURE 14.19 (a) A Full-wave rectifierthe same purpose. Since these additional circuit; (b) Input wave forms given to thecircuits appear to filter out the ac ripple diode D1 at A and to the diode D2 at B;and give a pure dc voltage, so they are (c) Output waveform across the called filters. load RL connected in the full-wave Now we shall discuss the role of rectifier circuit. capacitor in filtering. When the voltage across the capacitor is rising, it gets charged. If there is no external load, it remains charged to the peak voltage of the rectified output. When there is a load, it gets discharged through the load and the voltage across it begins to fall. In the next half-cycle of rectified output it again gets charged to the peak value (Fig. 14.20). The rate of fall of the voltage across the capacitor depends inversely upon the product of capacitance C and the effective resistance RL used in the circuit and is called the time constant. To make the time constant large value of C should be large. So capacitor input filters use large capacitors. The output voltage obtained by using capacitor input filter is nearer to the peak voltage of the rectified voltage. This type of filter is most widely used in power supplies. 339 Reprint 2025-26 Physics FIGURE 14.20 (a) A full-wave rectifier with capacitor filter, (b) Input and output voltage of rectifier in (a). SUMMARY 1. Semiconductors are the basic materials used in the present solid state electronic devices like diode, transistor, ICs, etc. 2. Lattice structure and the atomic structure of constituent elements decide whether a particular material will be insulator, metal or semiconductor. 3. Metals have low resistivity (10–2 to 10–8 Wm), insulators have very high resistivity (>108 W m–1), while semiconductors have intermediate values of resistivity. 4. Semiconductors are elemental (Si, Ge) as well as compound (GaAs, CdS, etc.). 5. Pure semiconductors are called ‘intrinsic semiconductors’. The presence of charge carriers (electrons and holes) is an ‘intrinsic’ property of the material and these are obtained as a result of thermal excitation. The number of electrons (ne) is equal to the number of holes (nh ) in intrinsic conductors. Holes are essentially electron vacancies with an effective positive charge. 6. The number of charge carriers can be changed by ‘doping’ of a suitable impurity in pure semiconductors. Such semiconductors are known as extrinsic semiconductors. These are of two types (n-type and p-type). 7. In n-type semiconductors, ne >> nh while in p-type semiconductors nh >> ne. 8. n-type semiconducting Si or Ge is obtained by doping with pentavalent atoms (donors) like As, Sb, P, etc., while p-type Si or Ge can be obtained by doping with trivalent atom (acceptors) like B, Al, In etc. 9. nenh = ni 2 in all cases. Further, the material possesses an overall charge neutrality. 10. There are two distinct band of energies (called valence band and conduction band) in which the electrons in a material lie. Valence band energies are low as compared to conduction band energies. All energy levels in the valence band are filled while energy levels in the conduction band may be fully empty or partially filled. The electrons in the conduction band are free to move in a solid and are responsible for the conductivity. The extent of conductivity depends upon the energy gap (Eg) between the top of valence band (EV ) and the bottom of the conduction band EC. The electrons from valence band can be excited by Reprint 2025-26 Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits heat, light or electrical energy to the conduction band and thus, produce a change in the current flowing in a semiconductor. 11. For insulators Eg > 3 eV, for semiconductors Eg is 0.2 eV to 3 eV, while for metals Eg » 0. 12. p-n junction is the ‘key’ to all semiconductor devices. When such a junction is made, a ‘depletion layer’ is formed consisting of immobile ion-cores devoid of their electrons or holes. This is responsible for a junction potential barrier. 13. By changing the external applied voltage, junction barriers can be changed. In forward bias (n-side is connected to negative terminal of the battery and p-side is connected to the positive), the barrier is decreased while the barrier increases in reverse bias. Hence, forward bias current is more (mA) while it is very small (mA) in a p-n junction diode. 14. Diodes can be used for rectifying an ac voltage (restricting the ac voltage to one direction). With the help of a capacitor or a suitable filter, a dc voltage can be obtained. POINTS TO PONDER 1. The energy bands (EC or EV) in the semiconductors are space delocalised which means that these are not located in any specific place inside the solid. The energies are the overall averages. When you see a picture in which EC or EV are drawn as straight lines, then they should be respectively taken simply as the bottom of conduction band energy levels and top of valence band energy levels. 2. In elemental semiconductors (Si or Ge), the n-type or p-type semiconductors are obtained by introducing ‘dopants’ as defects. In compound semiconductors, the change in relative stoichiometric ratio can also change the type of semiconductor. For example, in ideal GaAs the ratio of Ga:As is 1:1 but in Ga-rich or As-rich GaAs it could respectively be Ga1.1 As0.9 or Ga0.9 As1.1. In general, the presence of defects control the properties of semiconductors in many ways. EXERCISES