Lesson 2

1.
Even though Carbon exists in the same group in a periodic table, then
why Silicon or germanium are used as semiconductor not Carbon?
Periodic table
The periodic table, also known as the periodic table of elements, is a tabular display of
the chemical elements, which are arranged by atomic number, electron configuration, and
recurring chemical properties.
Periodic elements are divided into groups and periods.

Periods: Elements present in the horizontal rows are called periods, they have different
chemical properties, and their atomic radii decreases from left to right. There are seven
periods in periodic table.
Groups: Elements that are present in each one of the columns are known as groups they
hold same chemical properties and their atomic increases from top to bottom. There are 18
columns in groups.
According to their shared physical and chemical properties elements are classified in
to three types Metals, metalloids, nonmetals, and elements with unknown chemical
properties.
Metals are generally shiny, highly conducting solids that form alloys with one another and
salt-like ionic compounds with nonmetals.
Non-metals are coloured or colourless insulating gases. They form compound with other
non-metals feature co-valent bonding.
Elements which have intermediate or mixed proportion between metals and non-metals are
called as metalloids. They look like metals but are brittle and only fair electrical
conductance. They mostly behave chemically as non-metals.
As Carbon is a non-metal which are considered as non-semiconductor even though it
is present in the same group with Silicon and Germanium which are metalloids.
2. As Carbon is a nonmetal then why we are using it in recent

semiconductor application?
Some allotropes of elements show more pronounced metal, metalloid or non-metal
behaviour than others. The element carbon; its diamond allotrope is non-metallic, however
the graphite allotrope is electrically conductive showing characteristic more like a metalloid.
Phosphorus, tin, selenium and bismuth also have allotropes which display borderline
behaviour.
3. How is P and N region formed?

A pure intrinsic semiconductor is a metalloid which acts as insulator hence to increase
conductivity of it we add impurities to it.
There are two types of impurities.
N type impurities
Elements of 15th group elements acts as n type impurities, they are having excess of
electrons in its outermost shell, with less energy given to it they get excited to the
conduction band and contribute to the flow of current. Some of the commonly used n
type impurities are Antimony, Arsenic and Phosphorous.
P type impurities
Elements of 13th group elements behaves as P type semiconductor. They have three
electrons in its outermost shell which forms bonding with three of its neighbouring
Silicon atoms, but fourth bonding has lack of electron considered as hole. By applying
energy electron present in covalent bonding get excited and hop into hole by creating
hole in its parent position. Thus, when electron flow in one direction holes moves in
opposite direction. Some of the commonly used P type impurities are Boron, Indium
and Gallium.
4. Explain depletion region, forward and reverse bias?
If donor impurities are introduced in to one side and acceptors into the other side of
a single crystal of a semiconductor then a p-n junction is formed. Initially, there are
only p type carriers to the left of the junction and only n type carriers to the right.
Because there is a density gradient across the junction, electrons in n region get
attracted to hole and recombines with it at the junction. As a result, cation and
anions are formed at the junction. The thickness of this region is of the order of
10-4cm = 10-6 m = 1 micron
No bias (V = 0)
Under no bias condition the electric field present at the depletion region blocks the
flow the current in a diode and also without application voltage there is no flow
current in a diode.
Reverse bias
In here -ve terminal of the battery is connected to p type and +ve terminal to n type.
This makes +ve terminal of the battery to attract electrons in n region which flows towards it
and -ve terminal to repel electrons which towards P regions and recombines with holes
present in it.
Due to this depletion region get increased at the junction with continuous
application of reverse voltage breakdown may occur.
Forward bias
In forward bias -ve terminal of the battery push electrons in n region towards junction,
as electrons concentration increases it starts reducing depletion region width.
Finally, when applied voltage is greater than barrier potential of a particular diode,
electron starts penetrating or drift through the junction (here drift means flow of charge
carriers from higher concentration region to lower concentration region) and result in the
formation of current in the circuit.
Diode characteristics

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1.

Periodic elements are divided into groups and periods.

2. As Carbon is a nonmetal then why we are using it in recent

3. How is P and N region formed?

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