Electronics

Principles & Applications

Sixth Edition

Charles A. Schuler
Chapter 2
Semiconductors
(student version)

©2003 Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
 INTRODUCTION

• Conductors and Insulators

• Semiconductors
• N-type Semiconductors
• P-type Semiconductors
• Majority and Minority Carriers
Dear Student:

This presentation is arranged in segments.

Each segment is preceded by a Concept
Preview slide and is followed by a Concept
Review slide. When you reach a Concept
Review slide, you can return to the
beginning of that segment by clicking on the
Repeat Segment button. This will allow you
to view that segment again, if you want to.
 Concept Preview
• The nucleus of any atom is positively charged.
• Negatively charged electrons orbit the nucleus.
• The net charge on any atom is zero because the
protons and electrons are equal in number.
• The valence orbit is the outermost orbit.
• Copper has only one valence electron and is an
excellent conductor.
• Materials with a full valence orbit act as
insulators.
• Materials with 8 electrons in the valence orbit
act as insulators.
 NN
N N

Theatoms
Most center of an
have
A nucleus atom
neutronsiswhich
called
alsoelectrons
has the nucleus.
have
protons no charge.
Negative
and theyorbit
havethe
a positive
nucleus.charge.
Valence electron
It has 29 protons.

NN
N N

It has 29 electrons.
This
Its is
neta charge
copper =atom.
0.
Valence electron

NN
N N

The valence electron

Its attraction is the important
to the nucleus feature.
is relatively weak.
A simple model of the copper atom looks like this:

The valence electron

The nucleus plus the inner electron orbits

Remember, the valence
electrons are weakly
attracted to the nuclei.

Copper wire is used

to conduct electricity
because the valence
electrons move freely
through its structure.
So far, we know that copper’s single valence
electron makes it a good conductor.

The rule of eight states that a material like this

would be stable since its valence orbit is full.

No Vacancy

It acts as an electrical insulator.

 Atomic Quiz
The dense and central part of any
atom is called the ________. nucleus
Atom net charge is 0 since the number of
protons equals the number of ______. electrons

The outermost orbit of all atoms is

called the ________ orbit. valence
Good electrical conductors have free
valence ________. electrons
The magic number for valence stability
is ________. eight
 Concept Review
• The nucleus of any atom is positively charged.
• Negatively charged electrons orbit the nucleus.
• The net charge on any atom is zero because the
protons and electrons are equal in number.
• The valence orbit is the outermost orbit.
• Copper has only one valence electron and is an
excellent conductor.
• Materials with a full valence orbit act as
insulators.
• Materials with 8 electrons in the valence orbit
act as insulators.
Repeat Segment
 Concept Preview
• Silicon has 4 valence electrons.
• Silicon atoms can form covalent bonds with
each other.
• Covalent silicon satisfies the rule of 8 and acts
as an insulator at room temperature.
• Donor impurities have 5 valence electrons.
• N-type silicon has been doped with a donor
impurity to make it semiconduct.
• Acceptor impurities have 3 valence electrons.
• P-type silicon has been doped with an acceptor
impurity to make it semiconduct.
 Atoms of the same type can join
together and form covalent bonds.
This is an electron sharing process.

Silicon atoms have four valence electrons.

 The covalent sharing satisfies the rule of eight.
In this structure, one bond is formed with each neighbor.
 This is a silicon crystal.

It does not conduct because its valence

electrons are captured by covalent bonds.
Covalent bonds can be broken by heating a silicon crystal.

Hole

Free electron
Thermal carriers
The thermal carriers support the flow of current.
Heating silicon crystals to make them conduct is not practical!
 A silicon crystal can be doped with a donor impurity.

Free 5electron
1 4
This is an arsenic
Eachatom.
donor atom that enters the
crystal adds a2 free electron.
3
Silicon that has been doped with arsenic is called N-type.

The free electrons in N-type silicon support the flow of current.

A silicon crystal can be doped with an acceptor impurity.

1
Hole
This is a boron atom.
Each acceptor atom2 that enters
3 the
crystal creates a hole.
Silicon that has been doped with boron is called P-type.

The holes in P-type silicon support the flow of current.

 What are two practical methods
of making silicon semiconduct?

Free electron Hole

(N-type) (P-type)

Add a pentavalent Add a trivalent

impurity. impurity.
 This is a P-type crystal.

Due to heat, it could have a few free electrons.

These are called minority carriers.

 This is an N-type crystal.

Due to heat, it could have a few free holes.

These are called minority carriers.

Silicon is the workhorse of the
semiconductor industry but
compound semiconductors help
out in key areas.

• Gallium arsenide
• Indium phosphide
• Mercury cadmium telluride
• Silicon carbide
• Cadmium sulfphide
• Cadmium telluride
 Semiconductor Quiz
A pure silicon crystal, at room temperature,
acts as an electrical ________. insulator
The current carriers, in N-type silicon,
are called ________. electrons

The current carriers, in P-type silicon, are

called ________. holes
The minority carriers, in N-type silicon, are
called ________. holes
The minority carriers, in P-type silicon, are
called ________. electrons
 Concept Review
• Silicon has 4 valence electrons.
• Silicon atoms can form covalent bonds with
each other.
• Covalent silicon satisfies the rule of 8 and acts
as an insulator at room temperature.
• Donor impurities have 5 valence electrons.
• N-type silicon has been doped with a donor
impurity to make it semiconduct.
• Acceptor impurities have 3 valence electrons.
• P-type silicon has been doped with an acceptor
impurity to make it semiconduct.
Repeat Segment
 REVIEW

• Conductors and Insulators

• Semiconductors
• N-type Semiconductors
• P-type Semiconductors
• Majority and Minority Carriers