MATERIALS SCIENCE TUTORIAL: Electronic Materials (ND Broom) Problem 1.

Calculate the conductivity of pure copper at 300 and -50C given that its resistivity at room temperature (20C) is 1.67 x 10-8.m and Cu = 0.0068/C. Assume there is no residual component of resistance. (note: =o + o T, where o is the resistivity at a given reference temperature.) Problem 2. [Note: = nq(e + h); = oexp(-(Ea-Ev)/kT); = oexp(-Eg/2kT); = oexp(-(Ec-Ed)/kT)] Choose the appropriate relationships from those given above and the data from the table shown below to calculate the conductivity of pure germanium at 323, 360, 425, 473 and 500K. Plot your data of vs T and explain any important limitation the curve tells us about intrinsic semiconductors. Note: Boltzmann's constant k = 8.63 x 10-5 eV/ K. Electronic charge q = 1.6 x 10-19 C.
PROPERTIES OF SOME COMMON SEMICONDUCTORS AT ROOM TEMPERATURE (300K)

Energy Gap Electron mobility Hole mobility Carrier Density Material Eg (eV) e[m2 / (V.s)] h[m2 / (V.s) ne (= nh) (m-3) ______________________________________________________________________ _ Si Ge CdS GaAs InSb 1.107 0.66 2.59 1.47 0.17 0.140 0.364 0.034 0.720 8.00 0.038 0.190 0.0018 0.020 0.045 14 x 1015 23 x 1018 1.4 x1012 13.5 x 1021

Problem 3 Write down the expression for the conductivity of an intrinsic semiconductor. Manipulate this expression to show how the energy band gap for such a semiconductor can be determined graphically from conductivity vs temperature data.

Problem 4. You are required to characterise a new type of pure (i.e. undoped) semiconductor material. (a). If its conductivity at 20C is 250/.m and at 100C is 1100/.m, what is its band gap, Eg? (b). Calculate its conductivity at 50C.

Worked solutions Problem (1) Use = o + oT When 300c = = = resistivity at given reference temperature i.e. 20c (in this problem) 1.67 x 10-8+ 1.67x10-8 x 0.0068 x (300-20) 4.88 x 10-8 m

Conductivity = 1/

300c

1 4.88x10 8 0.205x 108 -1 m-1 1.67 x 10-8 + 1.67x10-8 x 0.0068 x(-50-20) 1.67 x 10-8 (1-0.48) 0.868 x 10-8 m

= -50c = = =
=

50c

1 0.868 x10 8 1.15x 108 -1m-1

Problem (2)

Conductivity &

= =

nq (e +h) - Eg 0 e 2kt

(1)
(2)

since we are considering a pure or intrinsic semi conductor. From data table Eg for Ge Electron mobility e = = Hole mobility h & charge q on electron = = 0.66ev 0.364 m2/V.sec 0.190 m2/V.sec 0.16x10-18Coulombs

Since the semiconductor is undoped the number of electrons that enter the conduction band equals the number of holes left in the valence band

n = nh = n = 23x1018 /m3

Using eqn (1) 300K

= =

23 x 1018 x 0.16 x 10-18(0.364+0.190 2.04/ m

We can now use this value of 300.k to obtain value of equation constant o If we re-arrange eqn (2) + Eg o = exp 2kT
i.e o = = = 300K exp
+ Eg 2kT 300 K

2.04 x exp(0.66/(2x8.62x10-5x300) 7.1x 105 -1 m-1

(2) cont/ Now obtain conductivity at remaining temperatures of 323K, 360K, 473.K & 500K using eqn (2) Since we now have o Eg & T 0.66 323 K = 7.1 x 105x exp 5 2 8.62 10 323 = 5.07 / . m 0.66 360 K = 7.1x105x exp 5 2 8.62 10 360 = 17.2/ . m 0.66 473 K = 7.31x105 x e 5 2 8.62 10 473 = 217/ . m 0.66 500 K = 7.31 x105 x e 5 2 8.62 10 500 = 335/ . M Now plot data as shown below in friendly low-tech format:-

Problem (3 ) Holes and electrons are the charge carriers in an intrinsic semi conductor use the equation = o exp

Eg 2kT Eg ] 2kT

Take natural log of both sides ln = lno -

which can be expressed in the form of:y = C + mx 1 Eg where y = ln , x = and gradient m = T 2k and intercept on y axis is ln0 1 Now plot ln vs T In gradient (y/x) =

Eg 2k

1 (.K) T Energy gap Eg = - [gradient x 2k]

Problem (4) Use = (a) at T at T 250 = = = o exp [-Eg/2kT] 20C (293K) 100C (373K) o exp [ = 250/ m = 1100/ m (1)

Eg ] 2 k 293
Eg ] 2 k 373

&

1100

o exp [

(2)

(2) divided by (1) gives :1100 = 250 ln 1100 250 =

0 Eg 1 1 exp [ ] 0 2k 293 373

Eg 1 1 [ ] 2k 293 373 Eg [3.413 - 2.681] 2k Eg x 0.732x10-3 2k 1.482 2 8.62x10 -5 0.732 10 3 0.35eV

i.e

1.482

= =

Eg

= =

4(b) Using value of Eg from (a) and knowing that = 250/ at T = 293K we can now solve for o 0.35 250 = o exp [ ] 2 k 293 + 0.35 and o = 250xexp [ ] 2 8.62 10 5 293 = 250xexp [6.93] = 250x1022 = 2.56x105 / m We can now obtain the conductivity at 50oC (323K) 0.35 323 = 2.56x105xexp [ ] 2 8.62 10 5 323 = 2.56x105 x exp [-6.286] = 2.56x105 x 186x10-3 = 477 / m