Problem Set Solution # 2

ECEN 3320 Fall 2013

Semiconductor Devices
September 4, 2013 Due September 9, 2013
For all problems in this homework set and future ones, use the values of physical constants and
material parameters listed in Appendices 2 and 3 of VZ. Also, assume the temperature is T=300 K
unless otherwise specified.
1. (a) Derive an expression for the total number of states in a semiconductor material (per unit
volume) between Ec and Ec + kT , where Ec is the conduction band edge (bottom of the
conduction band), k is Boltzmanns constat and T is the temperature. You can solve
this problem by simply integrating the density of states over the energy range given in
this problem.
Solution: The density of states represents the number of states per unit volume. For
this problem, we simply need to integrate the density of states, g(E)
1
g(E) = 2
2

2me
h2

3/2 p

E Ec

from Ec to Ec + kT :
Z Ec +kT

gc (E)dE =
Ec

=
=
=
=

2me 3/2 EC +kT

(E Ec )1/2 dE
h2
Ec


Z
1
2me 3/2 kT 1/2
x dx
2 2 h2
0


2me 3/2 2
1
(kT )3/2
2 2 h2
3


1
2me kT 3/2
3 2
h2
 3/2


me
1
2m0 kT 3/2
2
.
m0
3
h2
1
2 2

For values of
m0 = 9.11 1031 kg
kT

= 0.0258 1.6 1019 J

h = 1.05 1034 J s

we find
Z Ec +kT

gc (E)dE = 1.97 1025 m3

Ec

= 1.97 1019 cm3

(b) Evaluate the expression you derived in (a) for GaAs and Si.
Solution: For GaAs, using me =0.067 m0 , we find 3.411017 cm3 .
For Si, using me =1.08 m0 , we find 2.211019 cm3 .
2. Consider a silicon crystal whose band gap energy is Eg =1.12 eV and whose temperature is
kept at T =300 K.
(a) If the Fermi level, Ef , is located in the middle of the band gap, what is the probability
of finding an electron (or equivalently, the probablility of a state being occupied) at
E = Ec + kT .
Solution: The probability is given by the Fermi-Dirac function. Since Ef = Ec Eg /2,
f (E) =

1
.
exp [(E Ec + Eg /2) /kT ] + 1

As E = Ec + kT , we find
1
exp [(kT + Eg /2) /kT ] + 1
1
=
exp [(.0258 + 0.56)/.0258] + 1
exp[22.6] 1.53 1010 .

f (Ec + kT ) =

(b) If the Fermi level, Ef is located at the conduction band edge, EF = Ec , what the
probablility of finding an electron at E = Ec + kT .
Solution: The probability is given by evaluating the Fermi-Dirac probability density,
with Ef = Ec
F (E) =

1
.
exp [(E Ec )/kT ] + 1

With E = Ec + kT we find
1
exp [1] + 1
0.27

F (Ec + kT ) =

3. The equilibrium electron concentration is given by the product of the density of states and
the probablility function, n(E) = gc (E)F (E). If E EF  kT , the Fermi-Dirac probability
function can be approximated with the Maxwell-Boltzmann function
F (E) =

1
exp [(E Ef )/kT ]
exp [E Ef )/kT ] + 1
2

(a) Using this approximation, find the energy relative to the conduction band edge, E Ec ,
at which the electron concentration becomes maximum.
Solution: The electron density, n(E) = g(E)f (E), can be written in the form

n(x) = Constant x exp(x)

where x = (E Ec )/kT , for purposes of finding the maxima. Taking the derivative
and setting equal to zero



dn(x)
1
= Constant x exp(x) = 0
dx
2 x
we find that the distribution peaks at E Ec = kT /2.
(b) Using this approximation, calculate the electron concentration per unit energy interval
(in units of cm3 eV1 ) in silicon at energy E = Ec kT . Assume the Fermi level is
located at the center of the band gap, EF = Ec Eg /2.
Solution: We want to evaluate
1
2me 3/2 p
E Ec exp [(E Ef )/kT ]
2 2 h2
at E = Ec + kT for Ef = g /2. The result is


n(E) = g(E)f (E) =

n(Ec + kT ) = g(E)f (E)

1
2me 3/2
=
kT exp [(kT + Eg /2)/kT ]
2 2 h2


2me 3/2
1
0.0258 exp [(0.0258 + 0.56)/0.0258]
=
2 2 h2
= 1.84 1011 cm3 eV1


(c) Repeat the calculation in (b) without using the approximation.

Solution: The answer is really close, to within a part in roughly 1010 .
4. (a) Read the example given in Section 2.5.2 of Van Zeghbroeck carefully. Find all 24 possible
confugurations and construct Fig. 2.5.3 yourself.
Solution: The result is in figure 1.
(b) Discuss how the distribution function would change if you change the total energy or if
you change the total number of electrons in the system.
Solution: When the total energy is increased (or decreased), overall electron distribution shifts toward higher (or lower) energy. But more importantly, if the energy is
increased there are more possibilities of electron configurations with high electron
energy. This tends to flatten the distribution function. This is the same as the effect
of temperature on the Fermi-Dirac distribution function. That is, as the temperature is increased, the FD function tends to get flattened, and vice versa.
When the total number of electrons is increased (or decreased), the overall distribution function shifts accordingly. However, it doesnt necessarily accompany
flattening of distribution function, which is determined by the total energy. Therefore the effect of the number of electrons in the system is to shift the position of
Fermi level.
3

Figure 1: Figure 2.5.3 reconstructed