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EEE 41
Lecture 3
The Energy Band Model

EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

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Today
Energy-band model
Band-gap energy
Density of states
Doping
Read: Chapter 2

EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

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EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

Silicon: From Atom to Crystal

Energy states in a Si atom energy bands in a Si crystal

The highest nearly-lled band is the valence band
The highest nearly-empty band is the conducKon band

[conceptualphysics.in]

a = 2.35 = 0.235 nm

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EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

electron energy

Energy Band Diagram

Ec
Ev
distance
Simplied version of the energy band model, with
BoVom edge of the conducKon band (Ec)
Top edge of the valence band (Ev)
Ev and Ec are separated by the band gap energy EG

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EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

Recap
In a pure Si crystal
ConducKon electrons and holes are formed in pairs
Holes can be considered as posiKvely charged mobile parKcles which

exist inside a semiconductor

Both holes and electrons can conduct current

SpliCng of allowed atomic energy levels occur in a crystal

SeparaKon between energy levels is small, thus we can consider them as

bands with conKnuous energy levels

Highest nearly-lled band is the valence band

Lowest nearly-empty band is the conducKon band

Energy band diagram

Shows Ev and Ec, and are separated by the band gap energy EG

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EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

Band Gap and Material ClassicaKon

Ec
EG
Ev

Filled bands and empty bands do not allow current ow

Insulators have large EG
Semiconductors have small EG
Metals have no band gap
ConducKon band is parKally lled

[auris-new.univ-lemans.fr]

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EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

Measuring Band Gap Energy

EG can be determined from the minimum energy (h) of photons

that are absorbed by the semiconductor

electron
photon
(h > EG)

EG

Ec
Ev

hole
Band gap energies of selected semiconductors
Semiconductor

Ge

Si

GaAs

Band Gap (eV)

0.67 1.12 1.42

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EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

Density of States

g ( E ) dE Number of states per cm3 in

the energy range between E
and E + dE

Density of States
1eV above Ec

Near the band edges:

Ec

gc (E) =

Eg = 1.12eV

Ev
gc(E)

1eV below Ev

gv (E) =

gv(E)
0

5
10
3
States per cm per eV

15
50

x 10

mn* 2mn* ( E Ec )

2 3

m*p 2m*p ( Ev E )

2 3

E Ec

E Ev

EecKve masses: mn* = 1.18m0

m*p = 0.81m0
m0 = 9.110 31 kg

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EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

Doping
By subsMtuMng a Si atom with a special impurity atom, a

conducMon electron or hole is created

Example:
Phosphorous is a Group V
element
5 valence electrons
Electron donor
Other donors: As, Sb

[eere.energy.gov]

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EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

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Doping Si with Donors

Example: Adding Phosphorous (P) atoms to the Si crystal

[diranieh.com]

The loosely bound 5th valence

electron of the Phosphorous
atom breaks free

Becomes a mobile electron for

current conducKon

The Phosphorous ion (P+) is

immobile

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EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

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Doping Si with Acceptors

Example: Adding Indium (In) atoms to the Si crystal

[diranieh.com]

The Indium atom (Group III)

accepts an electron from a
neighboring Si atom

Results in a missing bonding

electron or hole

The hole is free to roam

around the lahce carrying
current as a posiKve charge

The Indium ion (In-) is

immobile

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EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

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Donor / Acceptor Levels (Band Model)

Donor ionizaKon energy

Ec

ED
Acceptor ionizaKon energy

EA

Ev

IonizaKon energy of selected donors and acceptors in Silicon:

Donor

Acceptor

Dopant

Sb

As

Al

In

IonizaKon Energy (meV)

39

45

54

45

67

160

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Charge Carrier ConcentraKons

ND: ionized donor concentraMon (cm-3)
NA: ionized acceptor concentraMon (cm-3)
Charge neutrality condiMon: N D + p = N A + n
2
At thermal equilibrium: np = ni
2

" N NA %
N NA
2
n= D
+ $ D
' + ni
#
&
2
2
2

" N ND %
N ND
2
p= A
+ $ A
' + ni
#
&
2
2

(Law of Mass AcKon)

Note:
Carrier concentraKons
depend on net dopant
concentraKon |NA ND|

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N-Type Material
Assume ND >> NA and (ND NA) >> ni

EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

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P-Type Material
Assume NA >> ND and (NA ND) >> ni

EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

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EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

Terminology
Donor: impurity atom that increases n
Acceptor: impurity atom the increases p
n-type material: contains more electrons than holes
p-type material: contains more holes than electrons
Majority carrier: the most abundant carrier
Minority carrier: the least abundant carrier
Intrinsic semiconductor: n = p = ni
Extrinsic semiconductor: doped semiconductor

16

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Summary
The band gap energy is the energy required to free an electron

from a covalent bond

EG for Si at T = 300K is 1.12eV

Insulators have large EG, semiconductors have small EG

Dopants in Si
Reside on lahce sites (subsKtuKng for Si atoms)
Group V elements contribute conducKon electrons (donors)
Group III elements contribute holes (acceptors)
Very low ionizaKon temperatures (ionized at room temperature)
Typical dopant concentraKons: 1014 cm-3 to 1020 cm-3
Si density: 5 x 1022 cm-3

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Next MeeKng
Thermal Equilibrium
Carrier DistribuMons and ConcentraMons
The Fermi Level

EEE 41 Lecture 3 (Alarcon 2014)

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