An Alternative Semiconductor Definition!
What is a Semiconductor? B - Ch 1, Y - Ch 1, S - Ch 1 Conductivity/Resistivity Definition (σ = conductivity, ρ = resistivity) Metals: Good Conductors! 103 ≤ σ ≤ 108 (Ω-cm)-1; 10-8 ≤ ρ ≤ 10-3 Ω-cm Semiconductors & Semimetals: 10-8 ≤ σ ≤ 103 (Ω-cm)-1; 10-3 ≤ ρ ≤ 108 Ω-cm NOTE THE HUGE RANGE!! Insulators: σ ≤ 10-8 (Ω-cm)-1; ρ ≥ 108 Ω-cm Actually, there are no rigid boundaries!
Polytetrafluoroethylene Metals & Insulators: Measured resistivities range over more than 30 orders of magnitude! Material Resistivity (Ωm) (295K) Resistivity (Ωm) (4K) 10-12 “Pure” Metals Copper 10-5 Semiconductors Ge (pure) 5 102 1012 Insulators Diamond 1014 Polytetrafluoroethylene (P.T.F.E) 1020 Potassium 2 10-6 10-10
Metals, Insulators & Semiconductors At low temperatures, all materials are insulators or metals. 1020- Diamond 1010- Resistivity (Ωm) Pure Metals: Resistivity increases rapidly with increasing temperature. Germanium 100 - Copper 10-10- 100 200 300 Temperature (K) Semiconductors: Resistivity decreases rapidly with increasing temperature. Semiconductors have resistivities intermediate between metals and insulators at room temperature.
Semiconductors Conductivity/Resistivity Definition Metals Semimetals
Semiconductors Conductivity/Resistivity Definition Note the wide range of conductivity! Metals Semimetals
Conductivity/Resistivity of Some Materials Semiconductors!
Conductivity of Some Materials
One Way to Classify “Electronic Materials”
Typical Bandgaps Semiconductors: Band Gap Definition Semiconductor ~ Small Band Gap Insulator We’ll define bandgap Eg in detail later). Strictly speaking, it must also be capable of being doped (we’ll define doping in detail later). Typical Bandgaps Semiconductors: 0 ~ ≤ Eg ≤ ~ 3 eV Metals & Semimetals: Eg = 0 eV Insulators: Eg ≥ 3 eV Exception Diamond, with Eg = ~ 6 eV, is usually an insulator, but it can be doped & used as a semiconductor! Also, sometimes there is confusing terminology like GaAs: Eg = 1.5 eV is sometimes called semi-insulating!
Some Semiconductor Characteristics In pure materials (which are very rare): The electrical conductivity σ exp(cT) T = Kelvin Temperature, c = constant In impure materials (most materials): σ depends strongly on impurity (doping) concentrations. “Doping” means to add impurities to change σ σ can be changed by light or electron radiation & by injection of electrons at contacts Transport of charge can occur by the motion of electrons or holes (defined later).
The Best Known Semiconductor is Silicon (Si) But, there are HUNDREDS (THOUSANDS!) of others! Elemental: Si, Ge, C (diamond) Binary Compounds: GaAs, InP, . Organic Compounds: (CH)n (polyacetyline) Magnetic Semiconductors: CdxMn1-xTe, … Ferroelectric Semiconductors: SbI, … Superconducting Compounds (!!) GeTe, SrTiO3, .. ( “High Tc materials!” )
The Periodic Table: Group IV Materials + III-V & II-VI Compounds Relevant Parts for Elemental & Binary Semiconductors III IV V VI II II Group IV Materials + III-V & II-VI Compounds
Some Elements & Compounds which can be Semiconductors (Purple!)
Semiconductors (Main Constituents)
The Periodic Table Cloth!
Group IV Elements and III-V & II-VI Compounds
Group IV Elements III-V, II-VI, & IV-IV Compounds Diamond Lattice Zincblende or Wurtzite Lattices Diamond (α-Sn or gray tin) Band gap (mostly) decreases & near neighbor distance (mostly) increases within a row going from IV elements to III-V compounds to II-VI compounds. Band gap (mostly) decreases & near neighbor distance (mostly) increases going from IV elements to III-V to II-VI compounds. Band gap (mostly) decreases & nearest neighbor distance (mostly) increases going down a column.
Many Materials of Interest in This Course: Have Crystal Lattice Structures Diamond or Zincblende (These will be discussed in detail again later!) In these structures, each atom is tetrahedrally coordinated with four (4) nearest-neighbors. The bonding between neighbors is (mostly) sp3 hybrid bonding (strongly covalent). There are 2 atoms/unit cell (repeated to form an infinite solid).
The Zincblende (ZnS) Lattice Zincblende Lattice: The Cubic Unit Cell. If all atoms are the same, itbecomes the Diamond Lattice! Zincblende Lattice: A Tetrahedral Bonding Configuration
Zincblende & Diamond Lattices Zincblende Lattice The Cubic Unit Cell Diamond Lattice The Cubic Unit Cell Semiconductor Physicists & Engineers need to know the geometry of these structures!
Semiconductor Physicists & Engineers need to know these structures! Diamond Lattice Diamond Lattice The Cubic Unit C`ell. Semiconductor Physicists & Engineers need to know these structures!
Zincblende (ZnS) Lattice Zincblende Lattice The Cubic Unit Cell.
Some Materials of Interest in This Course Have Crystal Lattice Structures Wurtzite Structure (This will be discussed in detail again later!) This is similar to the Zincblende structure, but it has hexagonal symmetry instead of cubic. In these structures, each atom is tetrahedrally coordinated with four (4) nearest-neighbors. The bonding between neighbors is (mostly) sp3 hybrid bonding (strongly covalent). There are 2 atoms/unit cell (repeated to form an infinite solid).
Semiconductor Physicists & Engineers need to know these structures! Wurtzite Lattice Semiconductor Physicists & Engineers need to know these structures!
Room Temperature Properties of Some Semiconductor Materials
Room Temperature Properties of Some Semiconductors
Lattice Constants of Some Semiconductors
Room Temperature Properties of Si, Ge, & GaAs