MSE 123 Homework 1

3
−𝐸𝑔 +𝐸𝐹 2𝑚∗ 𝜋𝑘 𝑇 2 −𝐸 +𝐸
1a. 𝑛 = 𝑁𝑐 exp ( 𝑘𝐵 𝑇
)=2∗ ( 𝑒ℎ2 𝐵 ) exp ( 𝑘𝑔 𝑇 𝐹 )
𝐵

3
−𝐸 2𝑚∗ 𝜋𝑘 𝑇 2 −𝐸
𝑝= 𝑁𝑣 exp ( 𝐹 ) = 2 ∗ ( ℎ 2 𝐵 ) exp ( 𝐹 )
𝑘𝐵 𝑇 ℎ 𝑘𝐵 𝑇

Set p = n to get
3 3
2𝑚𝑒∗ 𝜋𝑘𝐵 𝑇 2 −𝐸𝑔 + 𝐸𝐹 2𝑚ℎ∗ 𝜋𝑘𝐵 𝑇 2 −𝐸𝐹
2∗( 2
) exp ( ) = 2 ∗ ( 2 ) exp ( )
ℎ 𝑘𝐵 𝑇 ℎ 𝑘𝐵 𝑇
3 −𝐸𝑔 + 𝐸𝐹 3 −𝐸𝐹
𝑚𝑒∗ 2 exp ( ) = 𝑚ℎ∗ 2 exp ( )
𝑘𝐵 𝑇 𝑘𝐵 𝑇
3 𝐸𝐹 (𝐸𝑔 − 𝐸𝐹 ) 3
ln(𝑚𝑒∗ ) − =− + ln(𝑚ℎ∗ )
2 𝑘𝐵 𝑇 𝑘𝐵 𝑇 2
Rearrange to get EF on one side of the equation.

3 3 3 𝑚𝑒∗ 𝐸𝐹 (𝐸𝑔 − 𝐸𝐹 ) 1
ln(𝑚𝑒∗ ) − ln(𝑚ℎ∗ ) = ln ( ∗ ) = − = ∗ (2𝐸𝐹 − 𝐸𝑔 )
2 2 2 𝑚ℎ 𝑘𝐵 𝑇 𝑘𝐵 𝑇 𝑘𝐵 𝑇

3 𝑚𝑒∗ 𝐸𝑔
𝑘𝐵 𝑇 ln ( ∗ ) + = 𝐸𝐹
4 𝑚ℎ 2

1b.

Fermi Energy vs Temperature

0.9
0.8
Fermo Energy (eV)

0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Temperature (K)

GaAs Si Ge
 Bandgap Energy vs Temperature
1.6
1.4
Bandgap Energy (eV)

1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Temperature (K)

GaAs Si Ge

Carrier Concentration vs Temperature

0.0016
Carrier Concentration #/cm^3

0.0014
0.0012
0.001
0.0008
0.0006
0.0004
0.0002
0
-0.0002 0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Temperature (K)

GaAs Si Ge
 Carrier Concentration vs Temperature
6E-09
Carrier Concentration #/cm^3
5E-09

4E-09

3E-09

2E-09

1E-09

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Temperature (K)

GaAs Si

Note: The carrier concentration for Silicon and Gallium Arsenide are very small, so I have included a second
plot with no Germanium data to show them more clearly.

2a.
𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑠
Constants: T = 300K, Na = 8*1016 Boron 𝑐𝑚3
, Ea,Boron= 0.045eV, Ed,Arsenic= 0.054eV, me*=1.08mo,
𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑠 𝑒𝑉 𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑠
mh*=0.81mo, mo =9.11*10^-31 , 𝑘𝐵 = 8.617 ∗ 10−5 , 𝑁𝑑,𝐴𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑐 = 1.4 ∗ 1016 , 𝑁𝑎,𝐵𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑛 =
𝑐𝑚3 𝐾 𝑐𝑚3
𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑠
8 ∗ 1016 𝑐𝑚3
, h = 4.136*10-15eV*s

Equations:
3
2𝜋𝑚ℎ∗ 𝑘𝐵 𝑇 2
𝑁𝑣 = 2 ( )
ℎ2
3
2𝜋𝑚𝑒∗ 𝑘𝐵 𝑇 2
𝑁𝑐 = 2 ( )
ℎ2
1
𝑁𝑎 𝑁𝑣 2 𝐸𝑎,𝐵𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑛
𝑝=( ) exp(− )
2 𝑘𝐵 𝑇
1
𝑁𝑑 𝑁𝑐 2 𝐸𝑑,𝐴𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑐
𝑛=( ) exp(− )
2 𝑘𝐵 𝑇
1
𝑁 𝑁 2 𝐸
Boron is an acceptor dopant so use the equation 𝑝 = ( 𝑎2 𝑣 ) exp(− 𝑎,𝐵𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑛
𝑘𝐵 𝑇
)

3
( )
2𝜋 ∗ 0.81 ∗ 9.11 ∗ 10−31 ∗ 8.617 ∗ 10−5 ∗ 300 2
𝑁𝑣 = 2 ( ) = 0.00117295
(4.136 ∗ 10−15 )2
 1
𝑁𝑎 𝑁𝑣 2 𝐸
Plug Nv into the equation 𝑝 = ( ) exp(− 𝑎,𝐵𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑛 )
2 𝑘𝐵 𝑇

1
8∗1016 ∗0.00117295 2 0.045 ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠
𝑝= ( ) exp (− ) = 1.201*106
2 8.617∗10−5 ∗300 𝑐𝑚3
1
𝑁 𝑁 2 𝐸
Arsenic is a donor dopant, so use the equation 𝑛 = ( 𝑑2 𝑐 ) exp(− 𝑑,𝐴𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑐
𝑘𝐵 𝑇
)

3
2𝜋 ∗ 1.08 ∗ 9.11 ∗ 10−31 ∗ 8.617 ∗ 10−5 ∗ 300 2
𝑁𝑐 = 2 ( ) = 0.00180587
(4.136 ∗ 10−15 )2
1
𝑁𝑑 𝑁𝑐 2 𝐸𝑑,𝐴𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑐
Plug Nc into the equation 𝑛 = ( 2
) exp(− 𝑘𝐵 𝑇
)

1
1.4 ∗ 1016 ∗ 0.00180587 2 0.054 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑠
𝑛=( ) exp (− −5
) = 4.403 ∗ 105
2 8.617 ∗ 10 ∗ 300 𝑐𝑚3

Because p > n, the semiconductor will be a p-type semiconductor.

𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑜𝑚𝑏𝑠 10−19 𝐶
q 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛
=1.60217733 ∗ 𝑒
1 1
Resistivity is calculated using 𝜌 = 𝜇𝑝𝑞 = 106 𝑒 𝐶 𝑠∗𝑐𝑚2
= 1.029 ∗ 1010 Ω ∗ 𝑐𝑚
1.201∗ 3 ∗1.60217733∗10−19 ∗ ∗505
𝑐𝑚 𝑒 𝑉

3 𝑚∗ 𝐸𝑔
The fermi energy is found from the equation 𝑘𝐵 𝑇 ln ( ∗𝑒 ) + = 𝐸𝐹 , where Eg = 1.12eV
4 𝑚ℎ 2

3 1.08 1.12𝑒𝑉
So the Fermi Energy is equal to ∗ 8.617 ∗ 10−5 ∗ 300 ∗ ln ( )+ = 𝐸𝐹 = 0.566eV
4 0.81 2

2b.

This approximation is valid at lower temperatures because T is smaller, so condition that E-

EF>=3KbT is easier to meet. However, at higher temperatures, 3KbT gets larger and the semiconductor
bandgap of silicon shrinks, which makes the Boltzmann assumption break down.

More specifically, at T=300K, 3kBT = 0.077553. For the calculated fermi energy of 0.566eV in part
2a, and assuming the energy of the valence band is EV = 0, we find that EV, EC, Ed, and Ea all are more than
3kBT away from EF. So the approximation holds.
3a.

Arrhenius Plot For Unknown Semiconductor

45
log (Carriers) #/cm^3 40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02
1/Temperature (1/K)
Intrinsic Extrinsic Ionization

The extrinsic region has a slope of zero. The intrinsic region has a slope of -5906.4. For an intrinsic
−𝐸𝑔 −𝐸𝑔 1 −𝐸𝑔
semiconductor 𝑛 ~ exp ( ) which means that ln(𝑛) ~ ∗ , and the slope is . Solving for Eg, we
2𝑘𝐵 𝑇 2𝑘𝐵 𝑇 2𝑘𝐵
−𝐸𝑔
get −5906.4 = → 5906.4 ∗ 2 ∗ 8.617 ∗ 10−5 = 𝐸𝑔 = 1.02𝑒𝑉. The ionization region is described by
2𝑘𝐵
−𝐸𝑑 1 −𝐸𝑑
the relation ln(𝑛) ~ ∗ , so the slope of the ionization region is and was found graphically to be
2𝑘𝐵 𝑇 2𝑘𝐵
−𝐸𝑑
-146.64. This is solved to find that −146.64 = → 146.64 ∗ 2 ∗ 8.617 ∗ 10−5 = 𝐸𝑑 = 0.0253𝑒𝑉.
2𝑘𝐵

Assuming an error of ±10%, we find that Eg can range from 0.918-1.122eV. Silicon has a bandgap of 1.1eV,
so the semiconductor is likely silicon.

3b.
3 𝑚∗ 𝐸 𝑚𝑒∗
Plot the Fermi energy with the equation 𝑘𝐵 𝑇 ln ( ∗𝑒 ) + 𝑔 = 𝐸𝐹 , where Eg = 1.02eV and ∗ = 1.333
4 𝑚ℎ 2 𝑚ℎ

0.51 + 0.00001858 ∗ 𝑇 = 𝐸𝐹 . The intrinsic, extrinsic and ionization regions are labelled in the graph
legend.
 Fermi Energy vs 1/Temperature
0.526
0.524
Fermi Energy (eV)

0.522
0.52
0.518
0.516
0.514
0.512
0.51
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02
1/Temperature (1/K)
Intrinsic Extrinsic Ionization

4a.

Vegard’s Law: 𝑎(𝑥) = 𝑎(0)(1 − 𝑥) + 𝑎(1)𝑥

Band Gap Law: 𝐸𝑔 (𝑥) = 𝐸𝑔 (0)(1 − 𝑥) + 𝐸𝑔 (1)𝑥 − 𝑏𝑥(1 − 𝑥)

Constants: b =2.4,

Semiconductors Eg(0) a
ZnS 3.79 5.41
ZnSe 2.65 5.67
ZnTe 2.24 6.1

First find the x where a mix of ZnS and ZnTe have the same lattice constant as ZnSe

𝑎(𝑍𝑛𝑆𝑒) = 5.67 = 𝑎(𝑍𝑛𝑆)(1 − 𝑥) + 𝑎(𝑍𝑛𝑇𝑒)𝑥 = 5.41(1 − 𝑥) + 6.1𝑥

5.67 = 0.69𝑥 + 5.41

5.67 − 5.41
𝑥= = 0.377
0.69
Using x = 0.377, plug this into the bandgap equation to solve for the gap energy

𝐸𝑔 (0.377) = 𝐸𝑔 (𝑍𝑛𝑆)(1 − 0.377) + 𝐸𝑔 (𝑍𝑛𝑇𝑒) ∗ 0.377 − 2.4 ∗ 0.377(1 − 0.377)

𝐸𝑔 (0.377) = 3.79 ∗ (0.623) + 2.24 ∗ 0.377 − 2.24 ∗ 0.377 ∗ (0.623) = 2.67𝑒𝑉

So the gap energy of a ZnS-ZnTe blend with a matching lattice constant to ZnSe is 2.67eV with an x
=0.377.

4b.

First minimize the bandgap energy equation with respect to x

 𝑑𝐸𝑔
= 0 = −3.79 + 2.24 − 2.4 ∗ (1 − 2 ∗ 𝑥)
𝑑𝑥
3.95
𝑥= = 0.823
4.8
So the composition of minimized energy is ZnS0.177Te0.823.

Take the x where the gap energy is minimized (x=0.823), and plug it into the band gap energy equation
and Vergard’s law to get the lattice constant and Eg.

𝑎(𝑚𝑖𝑛) = 𝑎(𝑍𝑛𝑆)(1 − 0.823) + 𝑎(𝑍𝑛𝑇𝑒) ∗ 0.823 = 5.41 ∗ 0.177 + 6.10 ∗ 0.823 = 5.98𝐴
So amin is 5.98 angstroms

Band Gap Law for Eg, min:

𝐸𝑔 (𝑚𝑖𝑛) = 𝐸𝑔 (𝑍𝑛𝑆)(1 − 0.823) + 𝐸𝑔 (𝑍𝑛𝑇𝑒) ∗ 0.823 − 2.4 ∗ 0.823(1 − 0.823)

𝐸𝑔 (𝑚𝑖𝑛) = 3.79 ∗ (1 − 0.823) + 2.24 ∗ 0.823 − 2.4 ∗ 0.823(1 − 0.823) = 2.165

So Eg,min = 2.165.

Is it possible to alloy ZnS and ZnTe to make a semiconductor with the same Eg and lattice constant as
ZnSe?

Answer: Almost. From part a, when ZnS and ZnTe and blended to make a semiconductor with a lattice
constant that matched ZnSe (5.67 angstroms), the resulting semiconductor ZnS0.623Te0.377 had a bandgap
energy of 2.67eV. In comparison, the bandgap energy of ZnSe is 2.65eV. So while this isn’t exactly the
same, it is very close.