Introduction to

Semiconductors
Basics of Conductor, Insulator and Semiconductor
Subir Kr. Maity
School of Electronics Engineering
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT)
Contents
• Conductors and Insulators
• Concept of Energy band diagram, band gap, conduction and valance
band
• Classification of materials
• Semiconductors
• Doping
• Conclusions

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Conductors & Insulators
• Classification is based upon conductivity property
• Generally, Metals having good conductivity (less resistance)
Example: Copper, Al, Gold, Silver, they are excellent conductors.
• Insulators does not carry current at normal conditions (bad
conductors)
Example: Paper, wood, mica, glass etc.

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Concept of Band Diagram

Simplified band diagram representation in metal,

semiconductor and insulator where bands are represented
as straight line.

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Classification of Materials
• Metal: They are good conductors. Conduction and valence band are
overlapped. Plenty of free electrons are available to conduct current.
Metals are having +ve temp coefficient of resistance property.
• Insulator: They can’t conduct current at normal condition. Band-gap is
large (Eg > 6eV). Due to large band-gap, no free carriers are available
in conduction band to conduct current.
• Semiconductor: Moderate band-gap (0.3eV-3.5eV typically). They are
having moderate conduction property. Conductivity can be increased
using doping. At room temperature, some free carriers are always
available in conduction band.

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Semiconductors
• Moderate band gap
• Moderate conductivity (possible to increase using doping)
• Temperature sensitive (neg. temperature coefficient of resistance)
Types:
I. Elemental/basic semiconductors (Ex: Germanium, Silicon)
II. Compound semiconductor
Binary: ( InAs, GaAs, InP, GaN etc.) , Ternary (InGaAs, AlGaAs etc)

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Semiconductors
• Other classification :
I. pure/Intrinsic
II. Extrinsic (some other material is mixed with pure semiconductor)
Doping:
It is the technique used to convert one intrinsic semiconductor to
impure (extrinsic) semiconductor by mixing some impurity with it.
Purpose:
To increase conductivity.
To design different semiconductor devices.

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Germanium vs. Silicon….
• Germanium (Ge) having low band-gap (Eg=0.6eV). Due to low Eg, leakage is
higher. Ge is more temperature dependent.
• Ge is not easily available in nature. It doesn’t have any native oxide.
• Fabrication technology is not mature enough for Germanium.

• Silicon: Higher Eg (Eg=1.1eV). Low leakage and less temperature

dependent.
• Widely available in nature (in form of silica i.e. Sio2)
• It has its own native oxide (Sio2) which is a good insulator.
• Mature fabrication technology hence less costly compared to Ge devices.

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Extrinsic Semiconductors
N-type: It is formed by mixing small amount of penta-valent impurity
atoms (dopants) with pure semiconductors.
Example of n-type dopants (impurity) in Ge or Silicon:
Phosphorus (P), Arsenic (As), Antimony (Sb). Generally Phosphorus is
widely used because it is more compatible with fabrication process
P-type: It is formed by mixing small amount of tri-valent impurity
atoms (dopants) with pure semiconductors.
Example of p-type dopants (impurity) in Ge or Silicon:
Boron (B), Gallium (Ga), Indium (In), Aluminum (Al). Generally Boron is
widely used because it is more compatible with fabrication process.
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 Formation of n-type semiconductor

Phosphorus (P) having five valence

electron at outer orbit. Four of them
completes covalent bond structure with
valence electron of Silicon (Si).
One extra electron loosely bounded at the
outer orbit which is outside covalent
bond. By applying a small amount of
energy, it is possible to free the electron
from Phosphorus atom. Then it behaves
like free electron and can conduct
electricity.
Since there is excess electron , it is termed as n-type Then P-e =P+ i.e. Phosphorus atom is no
semiconductor. Majority carrier: electron, minority carrier: hole longer neutral after contributing one
electron. It became P+ ion (fixed positive
ions).
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 Formation of p-type semiconductor
Boron (B) having three valence electron at
outer orbit. All of them completes
covalent bond structure with valence
electron of Silicon (Si).
One extra electron is required to complete
the covalent bond. This deficiency of
electron can be treated as hole. If the
Boron atom collect one electron inside
crystal to complete covalent bond
structure , another deficiency is created
from where it borrow the electron. Then
the Boron atom (B) after collecting one
electron became:
B + e = B- , B- ion (fixed negative ions).
Since there is deficiency of electron , it is termed as p-type
semiconductor. Majority carrier: hole, minority carrier: electron
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 Thank You

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