Electronics1

Semiconductor Materials
Lecture1
Mr. Farman Ullah
06/02/2012
f.ullah99@yahoo.co.uk
Office: Electronics Lab

Electronics1
Electronics1 EEE231
1st Sessional: Basic Electronics
2nd Sessional: Responses
Terminal Exam: Applications
Quizes
Assignments

Course Contents

Introduction to Electronics
First IC is developed by Jack Kilby in 1958
The Intel Pantium 4 Processor (IC) has more than

42 millions transistors and host of other

components. This number could increase to 1
billions in the nearest future and could be even
more than that. However, there are some factors
that limit further miniaturization e.g. quality of
semiconductor, network design technique and limit
of the manufacturing and process equipment.

Semiconductor Materials
Semiconductor devices having conductivity
between good conductor and insulator.
Semiconductor material is the basic unit of
almost all the ICs or electronic devices.
Semiconductor materials fall into one of two classes
Single crystals i.e. Germenium (Ge) and Silicon (Si) with
repetitive crystal structure.
Compound i.e. GaAs and CdS etc of different atomic
structures.
Ga, Si and GaAs are the most frequently used in the
construction of electronic devices.

History of Semiconductor Materials

Ge was the most easily found and most abundant element, after the discovery
of diode (1939) and transistor (1947).
Characteristics: easy to refine and to obtain high levels of purity.
Low level of reliability.
Worse temperature sensitivity.

Si was found the most abundant material on earth and was quickly
considered the semiconductor material of choice after the first silicon
transistor was discovered in 1954.
Although it is difficult to obtain a high level of purity, but having
Improve temperature sensitivity.

As the communication systems speeds progressed, GaAs transistor is

developed to meet current needs.
Speed of operation is 5 times that of Si.
Cheaper to manufacture
But difficult to manufacture at high levels of purity, more expensive and design
constraints etc.

Electron Shells, Orbits and Energy Level

Orbits: Discrete distance from the nucleus
Shell: Orbits are grouped into energy level. Each
shell have different energy level. Shells are
represented by either 1,2,3...or K,L,M...
Number of electrons in each shell=2n^2
Valance Shell and Valence Electrons
Ionization: positive & negative ions

Conductor, Semiconductor and Insulator

Conductor: Conductive materials have many free
electrons and are capable to conduct electric current
easily.
Insulator: Insulator materials do not conduct electrical
current under normal conduction. It is difficult to
make the free electrons into conduction band while the
physical characteristic of the material remain
unchanged.
Semiconductor: Conductivity of Semiconductors is in
between conductor and insulator.

Energy Bands

Atomic Structure of Si and Ge and reason for the

choice of selection

Atomic Structure of Semiconductor Materials and

Intrinsic Carrier
Tri, Tetra and Pentavalent.
Sharing of electrons, called covalent bond.
Valence electrons can absorb sufficient energy to
make them free/free carrier/intrinsic carrier.

Fig

Fig1

Fig2

Fig3

Intrinsic Carrier and Relative Mobility

Intrinsic Carrier: Free electrons
Semiconductor

Intrinsic Carrier

GaAs

1.7x10^6

Si

1.5x10^10

Ge

2.5x10^13

Relative Mobility Factor: Ability of free carriers to

move throughout the material
Semiconductor

Relative Mobility

Si

1500

Ge

3900

GaAs

8500 (5xSi)

Positive & Negative Temperature Coefficients

Positive Temperature Coefficients: e.g.
Conductors. The resistance increases with
increase in temperature because of the carriers
vibration pattern
Negative Temperature Coefficients: e.g.
Semiconductors. The conductivity increases
with increase in temperature by absorbing
energy to break the covalent bond and
contribute to free electrons.