FORMATION OF A PN JUNCTION

When we add a pentavalent impurity to a thin p-type silicon semiconductor wafer a small part of p-type silicon
wafer is converted into a n-type silicon .Now the wafer contains a p-region and an n-region with a metallurgical
junction between the two. Two important process take place during the formation of p-n junction

- Diffusion is the process of movement of charge carriers due to concentration gradient along the semiconductor.
In a p-n junction, n-side has excess of electrons and hence electrons diffuse from n-side to p-side. Similarly, holes
diffuse from p-side to n-side.

Drift is the process of movement of charge carriers due to the net electric field. In a pn-junction with no external
source, electric field is from n-side to p-side and hence electrons drift from p-side to n-side.

Drift current is indeed the flow of current in a diode caused by an electric field. Diffusion is the current caused by
carrier diffusion as a result of a change in carrier concentration. In case of the drift currents, the holes move in the
direction of the electric field consequently making the electrons move in the opposite direction. Whereas doping a
semiconductor concentration gradient is involved.
 In a n-type semiconductor, the concentration of electrons is more than that of holes.On the other handgun a
p-type semiconductor the on conductor of holes is more that of electrons

When a p-n junction is being formed holes diffuse from p-side to n-side while electrons diffuse from the n-side to
p-side.This happens due to the concentration gradient across p and n sides.This gives rise to a diffusion current
across the junction.Lets look at both the scenario

When the p-type is connected to the battery’s positive terminal and the n-type to the negative terminal, then the
P-N junction is said to be forward-biased.

When the p-type is connected to the battery’s negative terminal and the n-type is connected to the positive side,
the P-N junction is reverse biased.
 INTRINSIC AND EXTRINSIC SEMI CONDUCTOR

The semiconductor in its pure form is known as intrinsic semiconductor.When a chemical impurity is added to an in-
trinsic semiconductor, then the resulting semiconductor is known as extrinsic semi conductor

INTRINSIC SEMICONDUCTOR
Semiconductors that are chemically pure, in other words, free from impurities are termed as intrinsic semiconductors.
The number of holes and electrons is therefore determined by the properties of the material itself instead of the impuri-
ties. We notice from the electron configuration of both the elements that they have four electrons in their outermost
shell or valence shell. As the temperature of the semiconductor is increased, the electrons gain more thermal energy
and thus break free from their shell. The process of ionization of the atoms in the crystal lattice creates a vacancy in
the bond between the atoms.

EXTRINSIC SEMICONDUCTOR
Extrinsic semiconductors are semiconductors that are doped with specific impurities. The impurity modifies the
electrical properties of the semiconductor and makes it more suitable for electronic devices such as diodes and tran-
sistors.
While adding impurities, a small amount of suitable impurity is added to pure material, increasing its conductivity
by many times. Extrinsic semiconductors are also called impurity semiconductors or doped semiconductors . The
process of adding impurities deliberately is termed as doping and the atoms that are used as an impurity are termed
as dopants. The impurity modifies the electrical properties of the semiconductor and makes it more suitable for
electronic devices such as diodes and transistors.
In an undoped semiconductor / in a semiconduct or without impurities, there must be charge neutrally
Therefore, an ideal semiconductor has equal numbers of holes and conductive electrons, because they must obey
the equation.
P-n=0
P=n=n
Where p is the number of free holes and n is the number of free electrons in the materials .Because the number of
holes is equal to the number of electrons, the concentration of each is equal to some quantity n. We will call the
quantity the intrinsic carrier concentration, and the pure semiconductor material we will call intrinsic material. This
gives us bias for understanding the doped case which we will come to the next station

Keep in mind that a distinct feature of semi conductors is that it only takes a little thermal excitation to ex-
cite some electrons from the valence to the conduction band.Therefore it becomes more and more conduc-
tive at higher temperatures.Therefore the intrinsic carrier concentration of a semiconductor varies with tem-
perature -higher temperature.Therefore it becomes more and more conductive at higher temperature .There-
fore the intrinsic carrier concentration of a semiconductor varies with temperature