Variation of Fermi level of Intrinsic semiconductors
with temperature
Intrinsic semiconductor requires a thermal excitation or application of voltage/electric field for
conduction to take place. In a pure intrinsic semiconductor like Si or Ge, an electron is excited
from top of valence band to bottom of conduction band. These created hole-electron pairs are
responsible for conduction. The Fermi-Dirac distribution of these electrons for conduction are:
1
f (E) = E−EF
1 + exp kT
The Fermi level of EF for an intrinsic semiconductor lies midway in the forbidden gap such
that,
Eg
E − EF =
2
Then,
−Eg
f (E) = exp
2kT
Figure 1: Fermi level of intrinsic semiconductor
Number of electrons promoted across the gap is given by,
−Eg
n = N exp
2kT
where, N is the number of electrons available for excitation from top of the valence band.
For intrinsic semiconductor, number of holes in the valence band is equal to the number of
electrons in the conduction band.
ne = nh
Page 1 of
1 38
Figure 2: Fermi level of intrinsic semiconductor. (a) EF at T = 0 K, and (b) EF at T > 0 K
When energy is provided, these electrons and holes move with mobility µe and µh , respectively
in opposite directions. The energy can be provided by external field or thermal excitation. Now
total conductivity of intrinsic semiconductor is given by,
σi = ne eµe + nh eµh
e is the electronic charge, ne is the concentration of electrons per unit volume, nh is the concen-
tration of holes per unit volume. Then,
Z ∞
ne = Z(E)F (E)dE, concentration of electrons in conduction band
EC
where, Z(E) is the density of states, F (E) is the Fermi Dirac distribution.
32
2πm∗e kT
EF − EC
ne = 2 exp
h2 kT
Also, Z EV
nh = Z(E)F (E)dE, concentration of holes in valence band
−∞
where, Z(E) is the density of states, F (E) is the Fermi Dirac distribution.
32
2πm∗h kT
EV − EF
nh = 2 exp
h2 kT
For intrinsic semiconductor, ne = nh
3 3
2πm∗e kT 2 2πm∗h kT 2
EF − EC EV − EF
⇒2 exp =2 exp
h2 kT h2 kT
∗ 23 EF − EC ∗ 32 EV − E F
⇒ me exp = mh exp
kT kT
Page 2 of
2 38
32
m∗h
E F − EC EV − E F
⇒ exp − =
kT kT m∗e
Taking log on both sides,
∗ 32
2EF EV + EC mh
⇒ − = loge
kT kT m∗e
" ∗ 23 #
kT 2EF EV + EC mh
⇒ X = + loge
2 kT kT m∗e
32
m∗h
E V + EC kT
⇒ EF = + loge
2 2 m∗e
For, m∗h = m∗e , loge 1 = 0.
EV + EC
EF =
2
The position of EF is half-way between EV and EC changes slightly with temperature by
rising above.
Page 3 of
3 38
Page 4 of 38
Page 5 of 38
Page 6 of 38
Page 7 of 38
Page 8 of 38
Page 9 of 38
Page 10 of 38
Page 11 of 38
Page 12 of 38
Page 13 of 38
Definition of Extrinsic Semiconductor
A semiconducting material in which the charge carriers originate from impurity atoms added
to the material is called impurity semiconductor or extrinsic semiconductor. The process of
deliberate addition of controlled quantities of impurities to a pure semiconductors is called doping.
The addition of impurity increases the carrier concentration leading to increase in conductivity
of the conductor.
Differentiate p-type and n-type semiconductors
n-type semiconductor p-type semiconductor
1 Pentavalent impurity added to intrinsic semi- Trivalent impurity added to intrinsic semi-
conductor. Eg. P, As, Sb conductor. Eg. B, Ga, In
2 Electrons are majority charge carriers Holes are majority charge carriers
3 Energy level of donor atoms are very close to Energy levels of acceptor atoms are very close
the bottom of conduction band to the top of valence band
4 Fermi level of n-type is above intrinsic semi- Fermi level of p-type is below intrinsic semi-
conductor conductor
Page 14 1of 38
Variation of Fermi level of n-type semiconductor
with temperature
Extrinsic, n-type semiconductor, is formed by adding pentavalent impurity to intrinsic semi-
conductor. These dopant atoms are called donor atoms, as they contribute one electron for
conduction towards conduction band. Eg. P, As, Sb.
At 0 K, the electronic system is the lowest energy, ground state, such that valence electrons
are still in the valence band and donor atoms are unionized. The energy levels of donor atoms
are close to the bottom of conduction band. Most of the donor level electrons are excited into
the conduction band at room temperature and become majority charge carriers.
Figure 1: T > 0 K Figure 2: T = 300 K
Figure 3: Variation of Fermi level with temperature - n-type semiconductor
Page 15 1of 38
The Fermi energy for p-type semiconductor is given by
EC + Ed
EF = , for T = 0 K
2
EC + Ed kT Nd
EF = + ln , for T > 0 K
2 2
3/2
2πm∗e kT
2 h2
Fermi level is exactly at the middle of conduction band on top of the donor level.
3/2
2πm∗e kT
EC + Ed kT Nd
EF = + ln , where Nx = 2
2 2 Nx h2
EC + Ed kT Nx
EF = − ln
2 2 Nd
As the temperature increases, the Fermi level drops towards intrinsic Fermi level, which is
also dependent on concentration of Nd atoms. More and more donor atoms are ionized with
temperature and at a point all donor atoms are ionized. After this point, the generation of
electron-hole pair due to the breaking of covalent bonds takes place and the material tends to
behave in the intrinsic manner.
Page 16 2of 38
Variation of Fermi level of p-type semiconductor
with temperature
Extrinsic, p-type semiconductor, is formed by adding trivalent impurity to intrinsic semiconduc-
tor. These atoms are called acceptor atoms, as they contribute one hole for conduction towards
valence band. Eg. B, Ga, In.
At relatively low temperatures, acceptor atoms get ionized taking electrons from valence
band, resulting in the creation of holes in valence band for conduction. Due to the ionization of
acceptor atoms, only holes and no electrons are created. The energy level of the acceptor atoms
are close to the top of the valence band.
Figure 1: T > 0 K Figure 2: T = 300 K
Figure 3: Variation of Fermi level with temperature - p-type semiconductor
Page 17 1of 38
The Fermi energy for p-type semiconductor is given by
EV + E a
EF = , at T = 0 K
2
EV + Ea kT Na
EF = − ln , at T > 0 K
2 2 3/2
2πm∗h kT
2 h2
Fermi level is exactly at the middle of acceptor level on top of the valence band.
3/2
2πm∗h kT
EV + Ea kT Na
EF = − ln , where Ny = 2
2 2 Ny h2
EV + Ea kT Ny
EF = + ln
2 2 Na
As the temperature increases, the Fermi level rises towards intrinsic Fermi level, which is
also dependent on concentration of Na atoms. More and more acceptor atoms are ionized with
temperature and at a point all acceptor atoms are ionized. After this point, the generation of
electron-hole pair due to the breaking of covalent bonds takes place and the material tends to
behave in the intrinsic manner.
Page 18 2of 38
Page 19 of 38
Page 20 of 38
Page 21 of 38
Page 22 of 38
Page 23 of 38
Page 24 of 38
Page 25 of 38
Page 26 of 38
Page 27 of 38
Page 28 of 38
Page 29 of 38
Page 30 of 38
Page 31 of 38
Page 32 of 38
Page 33 of 38
Page 34 of 38
Page 35 of 38
Page 36 of 38
Page 37 of 38
Page 38 of 38
