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50 TOP SEMICONDUCTORS –
PN JUNCTION Theory
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Questions with Answers :-
1. What is Fermi level?
INSTALL
The maximum energy that an electron in a metal has at the
absolute zero temperature is called the Fermi level of
energy.

2. What is the basis for classifying a material as a

conductor, semiconductor, or a dielectric? Define what
is the conductivity of perfect dielectric?
Conductors possess high conductivity whereas the
characteristic property of insulating materials (or
dielectrics) is poor conductivity. Semiconductors occupy an
intermediate position between conductors and insulators.
Though there is no rigid line separating the conductors
from semiconductors and semiconductors from insulators,
but still according to resistivity the materials of resistivity
of the order from 10-8 to 10-3 , 10-13 to 106 and 106 to 1018
ohm-meters may be classified as conductors,
semiconductors and dielectrics respectively.

Another classification is based on temperature coefficient

of resistivity. Metals have positive temperature coefficient
of resistivity. Semiconductors have small negative
temperature coefficient of resistivity and insulators have
large negative temperature coefficient of resistivity.

Custo
3. Differentiate semiconductors, conductors and
insulators on the basis of band gap.

The distinction between conductors, insulators and Engineering Questions

semiconductors is largely concerned with the relative Engineering Q…
width of the forbidden energy gaps in their energy band 5.5K likes

structures. There is a wide forbidden gap (more than 5eV)

for insulators, narrow forbidden gap (about 1eV) in case of
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semiconductors and no forbidden gap in case of
conductors.
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4. Define what is the importance of valence shell and

valence electrons? Find us on Google Plus

Engineering In
The outermost shell of an atom is called valence shell and
the electrons in this shell are called valence electrons. Follow

Formation of energy bands occur owing to overlapping of 768 followers

energy levels of these valence electrons in valence shells.

With the decrease in interatomic distance between the
atoms in a crystal, the energy levels of electrons in
outermost shells of atoms overlap to form energy bands.
5. What is the forbidden energy gap? How does it
occur? Define what is its magnitude for Ge and Si?

The energy gap between the valence band and conduction

band is known as forbidden energy gap. It is a region in
which no electron can stay as there is no allowed energy
state. Magnitude of forbidden energy gap in germanium
and silicon is 0.72 eV and 1.12 eV respectively at 300 K and
0.785 eV and 1.21 eV respectively at absolute zero
temperature.

6. Is a hole a fundamental particle in an atom?

Hole is not a fundamental particle in an atom. Holes may

be thought of as positive particles, and as such they move
through an electric field in a direction opposite to that of
electrons.

7. Define a hole in a semiconductor.

When an energy is supplied to a semiconductor a valence

electron is lifted to a higher energy level. The departing
electron leaves a vacancy in the valence band. The vacancy
is called a hole. Thus, a vacancy left in the valence band
because of lifting of an electron from the valence band to
conduction band is known as a hole.

8. Define what is hole current?

The movement of the hole (positively charged vacancy in

the valence band) from positive terminal of the supply to
negative terminal through semiconductor constitutes hole
current.

9. Define what is intrinsic semiconductor ?

An intrinsic semiconductor is one which is made of the

semiconductor material in the extremely pure form
(impurity content not exceeding one part in 100 million
parts of semiconductors).

10. Why silicon and germanium are the two widely used
semiconductor materials?

Because the energy required to release an electron from

their valence band (i.e. to break their covalent bonds ) is
very small (1.12eV for Si and 0.72eV for Ge).

11. Which of the two semiconductor materials Si or Ge

has larger conductivity at room temperature? Why?

Since energy required in transferring electrons from

valence band to conduction band is more in case of Si than
that in case of germanium , the conductivity of Ge will be
more than that of Si at room temperature.

12. Why does a pure semiconductor behave like an

insulator at absolute zero temperature?

For a pure semiconductor at a temperature of absolute zero

(-273.15oC)the valence band is usually full and there are
may be no electron in the conduction band and it is difficult
to provide additional energy required for lifting electron
from valence band to conduction band by applying electric
field. Hence the conductivity of a pure semiconductor at
absolute zero temperature is zero and it behaves like an
insulator.

13. Define what is the main factor for controlling the

thermal generation and recombination?

Temperature, because with the increase in the

temperature, concentrations of free electrons and holes
increase and the rate of recombination is proportional to
the product of concentration of free electrons and holes
and also the rate of production of electron-hole pairs
(thermal generation) increases with the rise in
temperature.

14. Define mean life of a carrier.

The amount of time between the creation and

disappearance of a free electron is called the life time. It
varies from a few nanoseconds to several microseconds
depending how perfect the crystal is and other factors.

15. In which bands do the movement of electrons and

holes take place?

Free electrons move in valence band while holes in valence

band.

16. Define what is the mechanism by which conduction

takes place inside the semiconductor?

Conduction occurs in any given material when an applied

electric field causes electrons to move in a desired direction
within the material. This may be due to one or both of two
processes, electron motion and hole transfer. In case of
former process, free electrons in the conduction band move
under the influence of the applied electric field. Hole
transfer involves electrons which are still attached to the
atoms i.e. those in valence band.

17. Define what do you mean by drift velocity and

mobility of a free electron?

The average velocity of an electron is known as drift

velocity whereas mobility of an electron is defined as the
drift velocity per unit electric field.

18. Define mobility of a carrier. Show that the mobility

constant of electron is larger than that of a hole.
Mobility is defined as the average particle drift velocity per
unit electric field.

The mobility of electrons is more than that of holes because

the probability of an electron having the energy required to
move to an empty state n the conduction band is much
greater than the probability of an electron having the
energy required to move to the empty state in valence
band. The mobility of electron is about double that of a
hole.

19. Define diffusion current in a semiconductor.

The diffusion of charge carriers is a result of a gradient of

carrier concentration (i.e., the difference of carrier
concentration from one region to another). In this case
concentrations of charge carriers (either electrons or holes
) tend to distribute themselves uniformly throughout the
semiconductor crystal. This movement continues until all
carriers are evenly distributed throughout the material.
This type of movement of charge carriers is called diffusion
current.

20. Define drift current in a semiconductor.

The steady flow of electrons in one direction caused by

applied electric field constitutes an electric current, called
the drift current.

21. Define what happens to the conductivity of

semiconductor with the rise in temperature? Compare
with the conductivity of metals.

With the increase in temperature, the concentration of

charge carriers increases resulting in increase in
conductivity of semiconductors. The conductivity of metal
decreases with the increase in temperature.
22. Why temperature coefficient of resistance of a
semiconductor is negative?

With the increase in temperature, the concentration of

charge carriers (electrons and holes) increases. As more
charge carriers are made available, the conductivity of a
pure semiconductor increases i.e. resistivity of a pure
semiconductor decreases with the rise in temperature i.e.
semiconductors have negative temperature coefficient of
resistance.

23. Define what is meant by Fermi level in

semiconductor? Where does the Fermi level lie in an
intrinsic semiconductor?

Femi level in a semiconductor can be defined as the

maximum energy that an electron in a semiconductor
has at absolute zero temperature.
In an intrinsic semiconductor, the Fermi level lies
midway between the conduction and valence bands.

24. Differentiate between intrinsic semiconductors and

intrinsic semiconductors?

An intrinsic semiconductor is one which is made of the

semiconductor material in its extremely pure form.

When a small amount of impurity is added to a pure

semiconductor crystal during the crystal growth in order to
increase its conductivity, the resulting crystal is called
extrinsic semiconductor.

25. Why doping is done in semiconductors?

Intrinsic (or pure ) semiconductor by itself is of little

significance as it has little current conduction capability at
ordinary room temperature. However, if very small
amount of impurity (of the order of one atom per million
atoms of pure semiconductor) is added to it in the process
of crystallization, the electrical conductivity is increased
many times.

SEMICONDUCTORS – PN JUNCTION Theory Questions and

Answers ::
26. Describe the difference between P-type and N-type
semiconductor materials.

1. When a small amount of trivalent impurity (such as

boron, gallium, indium or aluminium) is added to a
pure semiconductor crystal during crystal growth, the
resulting crystal is called a P-type semiconductor.
2. When a small amount of pentavalent impurity (such
as arsenic, antimony, bismuth or phosphrous) is added
to a pure semiconductor crystal during crystal growth,
the resulting crystal is called the N-type
semiconductor.

27. Define what do you mean by donor and acceptor

impurities?

Donor impurities (such as arsenic, antimony, bismuth or

phosphorous) when added to a pure semiconductor lattice ,
form N-type extrinsic semiconductor. The pentavalent
impurities are called donor impurities as such impurities
donate electrons to the lattice.

Acceptor impurities (such as boron, gallium, indium or

aluminium) when added to a semiconductor lattice form P-
type extrinsic semiconductor. The trivalent impurities are
called acceptor impurities because such impurities accept
electrons from the lattice.

28. Explain the term doping and its need.

The electrical conductivity of intrinsic semiconductor,

which has little current conducting capability at room
temperature and so is of little use, can be increased many
times by adding very small amount of impurity (of the
order of one atom per million atoms of pure
semiconductor) to it in the process of crystallization. This
process is called doping.

30. Define what is the effect of temperature on

extrinsic semiconductor?

With the increase in temperature of an extrinsic

semiconductor, the number of thermally generated carriers
is increased resulting in increase in concentration of
minority carriers. At temperature exceeding critical
temperature the extrinsic semiconductor behaves like an
intrinsic semiconductor but with higher conductivity.

31. Define what are the charge carriers in P-type and N-

type semiconductors?

Fee electrons in n-type semiconductors and holes in p-type

semiconductors are the charge carriers.

32. For the same order of doping, why does n-type

semiconductor exhibit larger conductivity than p-type
semiconductor?

Since the mobility of electrons is higher than that of holes,

for same level of doping, n-type semiconductor exhibits
larger conductivity.

33. What is the ratio of majority and minority carriers

in intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors?

For intrinsic semiconductor the ratio of majority and

minority carriers is Unity.
For extrinsic semiconductor the ratio of majority and
minority carriers is Very large.

34. Define what is a p-n junction?

The contact surface between the layers of p-type and n-type
semiconductor pieces placed together so as to form a p-n
junction is called the p-n junction.

35. How do the transition region width and contact

potential across a p-n junction vary with the applied
bias voltage?

When the p-n junction is forward biased , the transition

region width is reduced and the contact potential is also
reduced with the increase in applied bias voltage.
When the p-n junction is reverse biased, the transition is
widened, and the contact potential is increased and with
the increase in applied bias voltage.

36. Which type of charges present on the two opposite

faces of the junction?

Positive charge on n-side and negative charge on p-side of

the junction.

37. Define what types of carriers are present in space

charge region?

No mobile carrier is present in the space charge region.

38. Why is space region called the depletion region?

The region around the junction is completely ionized on

formation of p-n junction. As a result, there are no free
electrons on the n-side nor the holes on the p-side. Since the
region around the junction is depleted of mobile charges, it
is called the depletion region.

39. Why an electric field is produced in a depletion

region of a p-n junction?

The separation of positive and negative space charge

densities in a p-n junction results in an electric field.
40. Define what is space charge width?

The space charge region extends into the n and p-regions

from the metallurgical junction. The distance is known as
the space charge width.

41. The electric field in the space charge region

decreases with forward bias and increases with reverse
bias. Why?

Because applied electric field opposes built-in field.

42. Define cut-in voltage of a p-n junction diode?

The forward voltage, at which the current through the p-n

junction starts increasing rapidly, is called the cut-in
voltage.

43. Define what do you understand by reverse

saturation current of a diode?

Reverse saturation current of a diode is due to minority

carriers and is caused when the diode is reverse biased.
Only a very small voltage is reuired to direct all minority
carriers across the junction, and when all minority carriers
are flowing across, further increase in bias voltage will not
cause increase in current. This current is referred to as
reverse saturation current.

44. Define what is the effect of temperature on the

reverse current of a p-n junction?

Reverse current of a p-n junction increases with the

increase in junction temperature.

45. Why is silicon preferred to germanium in the

manufacturing of semiconductor devices?
Silicon preferred to germanium in the manufacturing of
semiconductor devices because such devices have higher
peak inverse voltage and current ratings and wider
temperature range than germanium ones.

46. Define peak inverse voltage?

Peak inverse voltage is the maximum voltage that can be

applied to the p-n junction without damaging the junction.
If the reverse voltage across the junction exceeds its peak
inverse voltage(PIV), the junction may get destroyed owing
to excessive heat.

47. Define breakdown voltage.

Breakdown voltage is defined as the reverse voltage at

which p-n junction breaks down with sudden rise with
reverse current.

48. Define the limitations in the operation conditions of

a p-n junction.

Every p-n junction has limiting values of :

Maximum forward current

Peak inverse voltage (PIV)
Maximum power rating
The p-n junction provides satisfactory performance when
operated within these limiting values. The p-n junction
diode may get destroyed due to excessive heat if any of
these values are exceeded.

SEMICONDUCTORS – PN JUNCTION Theory Interview

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