Optical determination of thickness and gap

of semicondutors

-
September 7, 2016
Matheus Felipe Fagundes das Neves
Departamento de Fsica- Universidade Federal do Parana
Centro Politecnico- Jd. das Americas - 81531-990 - Curitiba - PR-
Brasil e-mail: matheusfneves@gmail.com

Abstract
This paper has the objective to analyse the thickness of a Silicon foil (Si), and the optical gap of Gallium Arsenide
(GaAs) that are both semiconductors. For that, was utilized the optical technique, using the knowledge of thin films
and their interference and interaction with light. Once making the measures, graphs was obtained and the respective
observations and results were taken from them. The results are really close to the nominal value of the thickness and
gap.

Key words: Optical gap, interference, semiconductors

1 Theoretical Introduction
Semiconductors are present in our daily schedule. We
may not can see them, but they are in all the electronics
devices that we use, like cell phones, television, remote
control, computers, solar cells, and others. Because of
this, the understanding of some properties and techniques
are very useful for whom want to develop new things,
or just to get more included in what is going on in the
world. Or even respond some simple questions that can
be asked to us, like: Why the soap bubble are colourful
when lit with white light?

In this paper we utilized a technique using light to

determine thickness and gap of two semiconductors. for
this, some knowledge is necessary. And it is exposed
below.

We can say, in classic ways that light is a transversal elec-

tromagnetic wave, because it suffer a phenomenon called
diffraction, and transversal electromagnetic because it
carries perpendicular electro and magnetic fields that are
simultaneously perpendicular to the propagation vector.
For this, we can say that the wave may have phase, that
indicates a delay or even a forward state. Phase is the
inflection angle in a specific point in space.

The wave has a characteristic length () that is related

with it frequency. There is a lot of frequencies, and
some of them the human eye can see. But most of them
are in a region that we call invisible light. The visible
light is a spectrum that varies from red (750 nm and 400
THz) to violet (370 nm and 792 THz). For the region
with lengths higher than 750 nm we call infra-red (Ir).
For the region beyond the violet, we call ultra violet
(Uv).
1
 be produced in case of singly hit on that point. For this
case, we can see the figure 1 that illustrates a thin film. If
Figure 1: The figure shows the rays in a thin
the waves are in phase, we can say that the interference
film
is constructive and it is a maximum condition. If we
reach the minimum condition it is called destructive
interference.
Another phenomenon that we can observe in waves is
the interference that can be defined as the superposition
of waves in space. It can be classified as constructive or It is because, in the case that n1 < n2, the first reflected
destructive, resulted from the sum of effects that would ray suffer a phase inversion, corresponding a half length
of wave or . The second ray dont suffer this change. For Table 1: Collected peaks (maximums) from the measure
the difference of half length, it is necessary that the phase
difference introduced by the path difference 2d, where d is Maximums (m) (nm)
the thickness, has to be an odd number of length.
For that the condition to have a minimum is determined 0 741,79
by the equation, where m is an integer number 1 747,91
2 755,04
3 761,94
1 4 769,07
2nd = m mm = 0, 1, 2, 3, ... (1) 5 776,82
+ 2 6 783,93
7 791,87
And the condition to have a maximum is
8 799,62
9 806,93
2nd = mmm = 0, 1, 2, 3, ... (2) 10 815,89
11 823,84
12 832,78
With this, we can explain the first question of the soap 13 841,95
bubble. The color variation occurs because of light 14 850,89
For accomplish the experiment the utilized materials are
reflection on the bubble surface. The colourful that is
described below:
observed is a result of interference between the reflected
and refracted rays, that in the constructive situation
show us the new colors. The destructive situation is Light source
observed when the rays are cancelled and do not show
any color.

Now we can expose the semiconductors. They are cova-

lent solids that can be consider insulators because their
valence band is full and the conduction band is completely
empty. But why it is not an insulator? Because their gap
is not large, being less than 2 ev in most of case. Valence
band is the energy band occupied by semi-free electrons,
that can move easily when an electric field is applied.
Conduction band can be defined as the place near by the
Fermi level, that only the electrons with almost the Fermi
energy will have the probability of being charge carriers
that has influence in the electrical conduction process.
And the gap energy, called prohibited band, is the energy
needed to make a electron transits from valence band to
the conduction band.

Any experience that excites electrons are valid to

observe this happening, whereas the valence electron
needs energy equal or higher than the gap interval. In
this way, we can excite electrons with light(photons).
Applying some tension or even heating the material are
valid to observe the transitions too.

2 Experimental Procedure
2

Initially was used the silicon foil to obtain the measures.
It was positioned between the light source and the photo-
detector. To obtain a better measure and adjusted graphic
the detector distance was varied. For a better collimation
of light the aperture and the convex lens were positioned
right in front of the source. The table 1 was obtained
and
1 maximums were choose and inserted on the table 1.
the graph in figure 2 plotted making the x lable as .
After that, the Gallium Arsenide was positioned to get
the measures. Was observed that it is practically
opaque and because of that the sensor needed to be
closer than before, and the aperture was not necessary
any more. Graph 2 was obtained.
Photo-detector Red tide usb 650 on a tripod
convex lens 18 mm
Si and GaAs foils
Variable aperture
Computer programs: Spectra Suit and Origin
3
We could observe the light spectrum, that is almost like
the white light, dont using the foils. But the sensor
needed to be positioned far from the source, because of
the intensity of light.
3 Results
Initially to obtain the thickness of the silicon foil starting
from the graph of transmitted intensity in function of
wave-length, that is provided by Spectra Suit, 15 peaks
of maximums or minimums was required. In this case the
Knowing that the condition to have a constructive inter-
ference is determined by a integer number of wave-
length, after obtained the graph, we could compare the
equation of a straight line with equation 2 in this way:
1
m = 2nd = ax + b
where a and b are the angular and linear coefficients.
1
Calling x = and a = 2nd
We know that the silicon refraction index is nSi = 3, 7
and by the linear regression, a = 80831, we can
determine the thickness (d):
 With this, the thickness of Silicon foil was determined and
the optical gap of Gallium Arsenide was obtained. We
could observe too, that the relations of maximum and min-
imum interference pattern are valid. The results obtained
was:
Gap of 1,4 eV to the GaAs, that is clearly near by the
tabulated value 1,424 eV at temperature of 300 K;
The nominal value for the thickness of Si was 12 m and
this experiment resulted in 11 m. That is satisfactory
because, considering the dimensions, the error is negligi-
ble.

5 Bibliographic References

[1] EISBERG, Robert; RESNICK, Robert. Quantum

Physics of Atoms, Molecules, Solids, Nuclei and Particles,
Second Edition., New York: Wiley (1923). 443-452, 467-
Figure 2: The figure shows the graph native from table 1 472.
[2] SEARS, Francis Weston; ZEMANSKY, Mark W. F
sica, calor-ondas-otica, Livros Tecnicos e
Cientificos Editora S.A (1977).342-343,363.
[3] BONJORNO, Jose Roberto.;RAMOS,
Clinton Marcico. Fsica Fundamental, volume u
nico, Editora FTD. 344-360,408.
[4] HECHT, Eugene. Optics, fourth edition, publishing
house Addison Wesley. 175,253.

Figure 3: The figure shows the graph of transmitted

inten- sity in function of energy.

a = 10923nm
d=
2nSi

3
And we can say that the thickness of the Silicon foil is 11
m.
The measure with Gallium Arsenide foil resulted in the
graph shown in figure 2 that indicates how the
transmitted intensity changes according to energy. As
explained, gap is the minimum energy that the electron
requires to make the transition from the valence to the
conduction band. It is observed in the graph at the
moment that occurs the first absorption, it is, when the
intensity starts to grow to the peak. It is observed in the
region equivalent to 1,4 eV. So, we can conclude that the
GaAs has gap of 1,4 eV.

4 Conclusion

In this paper we could see that it is possible to determine

properties of elements simply using a technique with
light.