Semiconductor direct type

This parallel change in the electrical conductivity and in the activity may take place in the same or in opposite directions depending on the type of reaction (n-type or p-type) and on the type of semiconductor (n-type or p-type). In the case of an 7i-type reaction on an n-type semiconductor or of a p-type reaction on a p-type semiconductor, the electrical conductivity and the activity vary in the same direction. On the contrary, in the case of an n-type reaction on a p-type semiconductor or a p-type reaction on an n-type semiconductor, they vary in opposite directions. 

Fig. 7.2 Sandwich (or stacked) configurations placed in an electrolyte solution (a) p-n type, (b) semiconductor-metal type photochemical diodes. Both p-type and n-type semiconductors are provided with ohmic contacts. In p-n type light is incident from both directions and ohmic contacts are connected through metal contacts.

The metal oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) is the most important component in modem electronics, at least from the perspective of sheer numbers. A typical computer chip contains vast numbers of MOS-FETs. The basic architecture is illustrated in Eigure 1. The semiconductor is connected to a substrate on one side and to a gate contact on the other, which is separated from the semiconductor by a dielectric film. The region of semiconductor directly beneath the gate connects two contacts, the source and the drain. If the semiconductor is p-type Si, then source and drain contacts may be formed by implantation of electron-rich elements to yield shallow regions composed of n-type material. As the potential difference between the gate and the substrate is increased, the channel between the... 

There are many ways of increasing tlie equilibrium carrier population of a semiconductor. Most often tliis is done by generating electron-hole pairs as, for instance, in tlie process of absorjition of a photon witli h E. Under reasonable levels of illumination and doping, tlie generation of electron-hole pairs affects primarily the minority carrier density. However, tlie excess population of minority carriers is not stable it gradually disappears tlirough a variety of recombination processes in which an electron in tlie CB fills a hole in a VB. The excess energy E is released as a photon or phonons. The foniier case corresponds to a radiative recombination process, tlie latter to a non-radiative one. The radiative processes only rarely involve direct recombination across tlie gap. Usually, tliis type of process is assisted by shallow defects (impurities). Non-radiative recombination involves a defect-related deep level at which a carrier is trapped first, and a second transition is needed to complete tlie process. 

Selenium exhibits both photovoltaic action, where light is converted directly into electricity, and photoconductive action, where the electrical resistance decreases with increased illumination. These properties make selenium useful in the production of photocells and exposure meters for photographic use, as well as solar cells. Selenium is also able to convert a.c. electricity to d.c., and is extensively used in rectifiers. Below its melting point selenium is a p-type semiconductor and is finding many uses in electronic and solid-state applications. 

Crystalline tellurium has a silvery-white appearance, and when pure exhibits a metallic luster. It is brittle and easily pulverized. Amorphous tellurium is found by precipitating tellurium from a solution of telluric or tellurous acid. Whether this form is truly amorphous, or made of minute crystals, is open to question. Tellurium is a p-type semiconductor, and shows greater conductivity in certain directions, depending on alignment of the atoms. 

A light-emitting diode (LED) is a forward-biasedp—n junction in which the appHed bias enables the recombination of electrons and holes at the junction, resulting in the emission of photons. This type of light emission resulting from the injection of charged carriers is referred to as electroluminescence. A direct band gap semiconductor is optimal for efficient light emission and thus the majority of the compound semiconductors are potential candidates for efficient LEDs. 

Plasmas can be used in CVD reactors to activate and partially decompose the precursor species and perhaps form new chemical species. This allows deposition at a temperature lower than thermal CVD. The process is called plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) (12). The plasmas are generated by direct-current, radio-frequency (r-f), or electron-cyclotron-resonance (ECR) techniques. Eigure 15 shows a parallel-plate CVD reactor that uses r-f power to generate the plasma. This type of PECVD reactor is in common use in the semiconductor industry to deposit siUcon nitride, Si N and glass (PSG) encapsulating layers a few micrometers-thick at deposition rates of 5—100 nm /min. 

Antimonides of formulas CdSb and Cd2Sb2 have been reported. Both are usually prepared by direct union of the elements, the former is a hole-type semiconductor (9), with properties shown in Table 1, and finds use as a thermoelectric generator. Reagent-grade material costs 2.00/g in small lots. The band gap energy is 0.46 eV (2.70 J.m) (31) is 138 kj/mol (33.0 kcal/mol). Dicadmium triantimonideCd2Sb2, is a metastable, white... 

Modern techniques use thin-film resistors deposited directly on the area and semiconductor units are available which are considerably more sensitive than the resistive type. Dynamic measurements can also be made. The change in resistance unbalances the bridge, causing a voltage to appear across the detector terminals. This voltage is then amplified and applied to a CRO or the information can be stored digitally for future retrieval. 

Solid-state electronic devices such as diodes, transistors, and integrated circuits contain p-n junctions in which a p-type semiconductor is in contact with an n-type semiconductor (Fig. 3.47). The structure of a p-n junction allows an electric current to flow in only one direction. When the electrode attached to the p-type semiconductor has a negative charge, the holes in the p-type semiconductor are attracted to it, the electrons in the n-type semiconductor are attracted to the other (positive) electrode, and current does not flow. When the polarity is reversed, with the negative electrode attached to the n-type semiconductor, electrons flow from the n-type semiconductor through the p-type semiconductor toward the positive electrode. 

FIGURE 3.47 The structure of a p-n junction allows an electric current to flow in only one direction, (a) Reverse bias the negative electrode is attached to the p-type semiconductor and current does not flow, (b) Forward bias the electrodes are reversed to allow charge carriers to be regenerated. 

Extensive structural, optical, and electronic studies on the chalcopyrite semiconductors have been stimulated by the promising photovoltaic and photoelectrochem-ical properties of the copper-indium diselenide, CuInSe2, having a direct gap of about 1.0 eV, viz. close to optimal for terrestrial photovoltaics, and a high absorption coefficient which exceeds 10 cm . The physical properties of this and the other compounds of the family can be modulated to some extent by a slight deviation from stoichiometry. Thus, both anion and cation deficiencies may be tolerated, inducing, respectively, n- and p-type conductivities a p-type behavior would associate to either selenium excess or copper deficiency. 

Various polymorphs have been reported for SnS with band gap widths in the range 1.0-1.5 eV, depending on the preparation method. The a-SnS (herzenbergite) is the most frequently occurring phase and is a p-type semiconductor with a direct optical transition at 1.3 eV and a high absorption coefficient (> 10" cm ). The orthorhombic S-SnS phase possesses a direct gap between 1.05 and 1.09 eV. 

More complex phenomena occur when current crosses interfaces between semiconductors. The most typical example is the rectification produced at interfaces between p- and n-type semiconductors. Electric current freely flows from the former into the latter semiconductor, but an electric field repelling the free carriers from the junction arises when the attempt is made to pass current in the opposite direction Holes are sent back into the p-phase, and electrons are sent back into the n-phase. As a result, the layers adjoining the interface are depleted of free charges, their conductivities drop drastically, and current flow ceases ( blocking the interface). 

---