st important ma .
reread of semiconductor materials
Over the years many semiconductors
«portion of the periodic table related 10
ductors, those composed of
dou germanium (Ge), ean be found in
xd semiconductors are composed of 0 OFF
lium arsenide (GaAs) isa TH=V com
Ga) from Colum II and arsenie (As) from (
clement and compound semiconductors,
Prior to the invention ofthe bipolar tr
ily as twonterminal devices, such as
rly 1950s, germanium was the major:
ium proved unsuitable in many
hibited high leakage currents at only
nddition, germanium oxide is water
tion. Since the early 1960s silicon has
now virally supplanted germanium as
lion. The main reasons we now use
‘ouch lower leakage currents, and igh-qual
chermally. ‘There i also an economie eonsidera
Table 1 Portion of the Petlodie Table
Column tf
Mp
Magnesium — Aluminum
zn Ga
Zinc
cd
Cadmium
Hp
Mercuryed with hard spheres, andIn Fig. 2 we note that there are fea
cine, it the ACEF plane (our some ga
fmter) and that the atomic spacings me
cl ind ent Popes along deren panes
cal and other device characteris ate
A convenient method of defining the vaste
dices. These indies are oblained waing te
1) Find the intercepts of the plane on the three
terms of the latice constant.
2) Take the reciprocals of these numbers and)
three integers having the same ratio,
3) Enclose the result in parentheses (kf) ag the10 atoms together. For a rincblende lattice
najor bonding fore is from the covalent bond
slight ionic bonding foce that fs an electrostatic atrace
i’ Ga” ion and its four neighboring As* ions o Pe
hboring Ga~ ions
pecive
At low temperatures, the electrons ate be
ae eee saape for conduction. ALB
a ne des io ak imrcsred eae Sires \
Broken, a fee electron results that can pasos ee \
Figare Ta shows the situation when a valence clect™oo BECO cy may be
a paleo bondarTuis WSRCEEST Crh
An electron deficiency is left in
i in ashi
fated by one of the neighboring electrons, whieh Tea
deiieny location, a: Erm location A to fcation Bis Fi.
fore consider this deficiency as a particle similar 0
particle is called a hole. It carics « postive Sharky
rane can applied electric Held, inthe dretion OPPS e
eee. Tne concept ofa hole is analogous 19 that OF 8 bubble i
Although itis actually the liquid that moves i much easier 10 talk
‘motion of the bubble in the opposite direction
ip, We may these
This fttions
‘under the
that of an
in a qui
about the
1.4 ENERGY BANDS
have only discrete
electrons of the atom can
ay levels for an isolated Hysroes® atom
For an isolated atom, th
energy levels. For example, the ener
are given by the Bohr model”:upper band called
Figures
insulitors, semiconductors Benn
Houde (S10), he valence estos fre la
eLectaoy
‘eNeney
ZLGH:
Gonoucrion
By, 7
Fig. 8 Formation of energy bands as a
together isolated silicon atoms.
5 nage,
Serena
=
ci ® 2
rg seat ta bn an a st. a
sons. These bonds a iil to break, and 2
som To percipae 1s Ceol conduc. Ab aia
Cane a ee eps Ne