PHYS 74500 Solid State Physics
Homework #5 Due December 11, 2020
Semiconductor and semiconductor devices
Lectures 11-13
Semiconductor devices
1. p-n junction
(a) Discuss the process of substitutional chemical doping in a semiconductor and describe what is understood by
p and n doping. For each case, illustrate in a sketch the positions of the chemical potential with respect to the
conduction and valence band edges.
(b) A p-n semiconductor junction with dielectric constant ε is formed from tworegions of p- and n-doped
semiconductor, with dopant concentrations NA and ND respectively. Show by means of labelled sketches how
charge flow across the junction can set up regions of negative and positive space-charge density on either side of
the junction, which bring the chemical potential of the p- and n-doped regions, initially separated by ∆φ0, to the
same value. Explain why these are termed depletion regions.
(c) Assume that these depletion regions have space-charge densities equal to the dopant concentrations (i.e.
dopants are fully ionized in these regions) and use Poisson’s equation for the potential φ to show that the widths
wn and wp of the depletion layers on either side of the junction are given by
In case you need a reminder, Poission’s equation for the potential is:
𝜌
∇! ∅ =
𝜀𝜀"
where 𝜀 and 𝜀" are the relative permittivity of the semiconductor and the permittivity of free space, respectively.
(d) Explain, by means of a sketch, why, when a voltage V is applied to one side of the junction relative to the other,
the widths of the depletion layers are modified to
(e) Show that the differential capacitance of the junction per unit area, dQ/dV is given by
PHYS 74500 Solid State Physics
(f) For a device of cross-sectional area 10−7 m2 in which the n and p regions are both of thickness10−5m,NA =ND
=2×1019m−3, ∆φ0 =0.5 V and ε=12, sketch,using labelled axes, the variation of the capacitance as the voltage V
is varied between 0.5 and −5.0 V, indicating the voltage at which full depletion is achieved.
2. Quantum Wells I
The band gap of InxGa1-xAs (in eV) is given by the formula:
Egap = 1.425 +1.501x +0.436x2
[From R.E. Nahory et al. in Appl. Phys. Lett. 33, 659 (1978)]
Here, “x” is the fractional amount of In (indium) that is replacing Ga (gallium) in the structure of the material.
(a) Find the indium fraction x which results in a material that emits light at a wavelength 1.43 μm. (You may assume
that InxGa1-xAs is a direct gap semiconductor.) Use the chart of band gap against lattice constant for III-V
semiconductors (below) to decide which of the substrate materials, GaP, GaAs, InP and InAs would be most
suitable for this material. Explain your choice.
(b) (In,Ga)As (another way of writing InxGa1-xAs) forms a Type I heterojunction with GaAs such that the band gap
discontinuity is split between the conduction and valence band in the ratio 60:40 which means that the ratio of
∆E# /∆E$ = 60/40 in the diagram shown to the left.
Calculate the size of the discontinuity in the conduction and valence bands for a
heterojunction between GaAs and the material you designed in part (a).
PHYS 74500 Solid State Physics
(c) How many confined states can be found in the well in the conduction band, if a type-I heterojunction is made
of GaAs/(In,Ga)As/GaAs where the InGaAs layer is 15 nm thick? You may assume the effective mass of the
electron is equal to its bare rest mass. HINT: you may recall from Lecture 13 that we need to round up the
number of states that we calculate using the infinite well approximation.
(d) What are the longest and shortest wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation that this well could produce if it is
used, for example, for lasing?
(e) Use the information on this website: [Link] to find the refractive
index of GaAs and of the composition of (In,Ga)As that you found in part (a). Can light produced in the confined
region reflect using totally internally reflection? Explain your answer.
Question 1 has been adapted from Tripos exams at the University of Cambridge.
