Semiconductor Band Diagram

Atomic organization

Silicon atom

Si

Conduction
level
M Level
(Valence)
L Level
K Level

Si

Si

Covalent linkage

Conduction levels

M Levels
(Valence)
L Levels
K Levels

Si

Si

Si

Si

Si

Si

Si

Si

Band diagram

Si
E

Conduction Band
Band Gap
M Band (Valence)
L Band
K Band

Crystalline structure
(Crystal cell)
Polycrystalline structure

Amorphous
Silicon

Free Charge Carriers

Si

Si

Si
y(
g
r
Ene

Si

Si +

Si

Si

Si

Si

E>

ap
G
d
Ban

E
Conduction Band

Charge carrier generation

electron

Electron is a free charge carrier

Electron has a negative charge

hole

Band Gap (1.12 eV)

Valence Band

Si

Si

Si

Si

+
Si

Si
Holes as charge carriers

Si

Si

Si
E

Electron movement

Hole movement

Conduction Band
electron
hole

Hole is a free charge carrier

Hole has a positive charge

Band Gap (1.12 eV)

Valence Band

Si

Si

Si
rgy
e
En

Si

Si

Si

Si

Si

Si
E
Conduction Band

Charge carrier recombination

electron
hole

Band Gap (1.12 eV)

Valence Band

Summary

Both electrons (negative charge) and holes (positive charge) are

free charge carriers

There is an equilibrium between electrons-hole pairs generated (G)

and recombined (R).

This equilibrium between R and G depens on the energy applied to

the system (mainly due to temperature)

So, electron concentration (n) = hole concentration (p) = ni (T)

Free Charge Carriers Movement: Currents

Diffusion current
Electrical charge movement => Electric current

Free charge carriers (Electrons or holes)

Charge carriers movement
If charge carriers
are electrons
If charge carriers
are holes

Diffusion current
Diffusion current

Drift current

Electric Field

Electrons

Holes
Drift current

Drift current

For low E

n = 1350 cm2/V s
p = 480 cm2/V s
q = 1.6 10-19 C
ni = 1.5 1010 cm-3

Material

S/m)

Silver

6,30 107

Gold

5,96 107

Copper

4,10 107

Aluminium

3,50 107

PET

10-21

TEFLON

10-25 - 10-23

S/cm=S/m

Summary
Since both charge carriers have an electrical charge, they can move
when applying an electric field, causing a Drift Current (Ia)
If the concentration of a charge carrier type is high in a determined
semiconductor region, the repulsing forces between equal charges
produces the diffusion of the charge carriers, causing a Diffusion
Current (Id)

Doping Semiconductors

Doping semiconductors

Si

Si

Si

Intrinsic semiconductor
We have as many holes as electrons
n=p
np=ni 2

Si

Si

Si

Si

Si

Si

Doping semiconductors
N- Type semiconductor
Si

Si

Si

Si

+
Si
P

Si

Si

Si

Si

We are generating free electrons

without generating holes (n>p)

Doping semiconductors
P- Type semiconductor
Si

Si

Si

Si
B

Si

Si

Si

Si

Si

We are generating holes without

generating electrons (n<p)

Resistivity of n-type (red curve) and p-type

(blue curve) silicon versus doping density