2010

FERMI ENERGY LEVEL

CONCEPTS
IES material

Mukund Bihari
ASE ,TCS
[Type text] biharimukund@gmail.com Page 1
08882215887
FERMI ENERGY

 Also known as CHARACTERISTIC ENERGY.

 Unit- eV
 It is defined as the max. energy possessed by an electron at 0K.
 Fermi energy is also defined as max. kinetic energy possessed by
an electron at 0K.
 It is also defined as the possessed energy by the fastest moving
electron at 0K.

EF = max. K.E.

EF =0.5m(vmax)2

Max. velocity of electron ,

Vmax = (2Ef/m)1/2

FERMI – DIRAC FUNCTION → f(E)

 Also known as FERMI DIRAC PROBABILITY.

 In a semiconductor or metal
1
f(E)=
1+e(E-Ef)/kT)

 Fermi-Dirac function indicates the probability of electron existing

has a function of energy.

 In formula of f(E) , E = energy possessed by an electron in eV

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  If T = 0K
We get conditions below
1
 E > EF , f(E) =
1+e∞
f(E) = 0
1
 E < EF , f(E) =
1+e--∞

f(E) = 1
 If T ≠ 0K 1
 If E = EF ,f(E) =
1+e0

f(E) = 0.5 = 50%

Fermi level energy is also defined as the probability of

existing is 50 % , if forbidden energy band does not exist.

 In metal Fermi –Dirac function f(E) = 1 or 100%

 In a semiconductor of an electron existing is given by
f(E) and the probability of hole existing is given by
1-f(E).

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FERMI LEVEL IN INTRINSIC SEMICONDUCTOR

 The Intrinsic semiconductor

n=p

Nc e-(Ec-Ef)/kT = Nv e-(Ef-Ev)/kT

NC/NV = e (Ec+Ev-2Ef)/kT

(Ec+Ev – 2Ef)/kT = ln (Nc/Nv)

EF = (Ec+Ev)/2 – kT/2 ln (Nc/Nv) ---------------[1]

 In Intrinsic semiconductor Fermi level depends on Temp

CASE I
Let mn = mp
Then Nc = Nv
Now , EF = (EC + EV)/2
The Fermi level exist at the center of forbidden energy gap

CB
EC

EF

VB
EV

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CASE II

Let T = 0K

Eqn [1] will become

EF = (Ec+Ev)/2

In Intrinsic Semiconductor , Fermi level exist exactly at the center of

forbidden energy band when

If mn = mp

When T = 0K

At T = 0K , electron concentration and hole concentrations is zero and

conductivity is zero and Intrinsic semiconductor at 0K is a perfect
insulator.

CB
EC

EF

EF
VB

At 0K

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CASE III

At T = 300K
Electron
CB
EF = (Ec+EV)/2 – kT/2 ln (Nc/NV) Concentration

Electron conc. = Hole conc.

EF

Hole
Because of electron concentration
VB Concentration
and concentration .There will be a

conductivity in intrinsic semiconductor T = 300K

at room temperature.

CASE IV
T > 300K
CB

Position of Fermi level at different

temp. T > 300K T = 300K

As temp. increases electron concentration

VB
Increases & the hole concentration

Increases & therefore conductivity

Increases.

 In intrinsic semiconductor σ ↑ temp. ↑.

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FERMI LEVEL IN n –TYPE SEMICONDUCTOR

n = ND

NC e-(Ec-Ef)/kT = ND

Nc/ND = e(Ec-Ef)/kT

ln(NC/ND) = (Ec – EF)/kT

Ec – EF = kT ln(NC/ND)

EF = Ec – kT ln(NC/ND).

In n-Type semiconductor , Fermi Level depends on temp. and doping

concentration.

Case I CB
EC = EF
If T = 0K , then EF = EC.
ED
EF coincides with EC

EV
VB

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Electron conc. and holes conc. is zero. The n-type semiconductor at 0 K
is an INSULATOR.

Case II

If T = 300K

EF = EC – kT ln(NC/ND).

In n-type semiconductor , Fermi level exist just below the donor

energy level.
EC Electron
CB
concentration
ED
EC

At 300K

VB
EF
+ EV
Hole concentration

At 300K

CB

ED EF

VB

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CASE III

EC – EF = kT ln(NC/ND). 300k

Let Temp.↑
T > 300K
Let NC ↑ and NC > ND

EC – EF > 0 » E C > EF

As temp. ↑ , n-type semiconductor , EF moves away from CB or EF

moves towards the center of energy gap. Hence σ ↓ temp. ↑.

At curie temp. the Fermi level exist at the center of energy gap.

Let doping ↑

Let ND and ND > NC

EC - EF < 0

As doping ↑ , n-type semiconductor EF moves into CB or EF is away

from the center of the energy gap.Hence , σ increasing with doping.

In n-type semiconductor as doping increases Fermi-level takes

upward shift.

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In a highly doped n-type semiconductor or highly (doped)
degenerative n –type semiconductor , the Fermi level lies in the
conduction band.
CB
Electron concentration Electron

EC EC concentration

ED

EV
EV Hole
Hole concentration VB concentration

N+ semiconductor at 300K

CASE IV

Shift in the position of EF of N-type semiconductor w.r.t the center of

the enery gap. Or

Shift in the position of EF of N-type semiconductor due to doping is

given by
Shift = KT loge(ND/ni) eV

Shift = KT loge(n/ni) eV

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FERMI – LEVEL IN P - TYPE SEMICONDUCTOR

P ≈ NA

NV e (Ef-Ev)/kT = NA

NV/ NA = e (Ef-Ev)/kT

ln(NV/ NA ) = (EF – EV)/kT

EF = EV + kT ln(NV/ NA )

In the P – type semiconductor, Fermi-level is a function of temp. and

doping concentration.

CASE I
CB
At T = 0K EC

EF = Ev At 0K

At 0K , electron concentration
EV = EF
and hole concentration are zero
VB
& therefore conductivity is zero

And p-type semiconductor will

work as INSULATOR.

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CASE II Electron
CB
concentration
T = 300K

It means that semiconductor

Fermi-level exist just above

the acceptor energy level.

VB Hole concentration
Hole conc. > electron conc.

CASE III

EF - EV = kT ln(NV/ NA )
CB

 As Temp ↑ EC
T > 300K
Let NV ↑ & NV > NA

EF - EV > 0 » E F > EV T = 300K

In p-type semiconductor as Temp. ↑ EA

VB
EF moves away from VB or EF moves

towards the center of the energy gap.

Hence σ ↓ with temp.↑

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  As doping ↑

In p-type semiconductor at curie temp. Fermi-Level exists at the center

of energy gap

i.e. NA ↑ & let NA > NV

EF - EV < 0 » E F < EV

As doping ↑ , in p-type semiconductor , EF moves into the VB or EF

will be shifting away from the center of energy gap.

Hence , in p-type semiconductor σ↑ with doping ↑.

In a highly doped p-type semiconductor or highly degenerative p-type

semiconductor Fermi-Level exist in the valency band.

CB electron concentration

EC

EV
EA
Hole concentration
EV

VB

At 300K

P+ semiconductor at 300K

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In p-type semiconductor as doping increases Fermi-Level takes
downward shift.

CASE IV

Shift in the position of EF p-type semiconductor due to doping or shift

in the position of EF of p-type semiconductor w.r.t. EF of intrinsic
semiconductor is given by
CB

Shift = kT ln(NA / ni) eV

Shift = kT ln(p / ni) eV

shift
EA

VB

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When doping is suddenly introduced in a semiconductor :

 In an INTRINSIC semiconductor , at first the conductivity

decreases and thereafter the conductivity increases with doping.

 In beginning , conductivity falls because when doping is

introduced few charge carrier are created and therefore the mean
path of electrons and holes get reduced .Therefore the
conductivity decreases .

And when semiconductor enters into steady state the

conductivity
σ increases(↑) with the doping(↑).

When ND and NA doping are simultaneously introduced into the

semiconductor :
 In an INTRINSIC semiconductor , if donor and acceptor
impurities are simultaneously introduced then
i. ND > NA------semiconductor turns n-type
ii. NA > ND -----semiconductor turns p-type
iii. NA = ND-----semiconductor remains intrinsic

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LOW LEVEL INJECTION
If the concentration of minority carriers is negligible when compared to
the concentration of majority carrier , the semiconductor is under low
level injection.
When minority carrier are introduced n-type
into the semiconductor , these will be n≈1016 cm-3
moving from higher concentration to n >> ni

lower concentration and this minority

carrier flow due to diffusion .
Minority carrier concentration
Under low level injection hole drift
current is negligible when compared to hole diffusion current. Hence ,
under low level injection minority carrier current s only due to
diffusion.

WHEN LIGHT FALL ON A SEMICONDUCTOR

When light falls on a semiconductor minority carrier are generated .

The photon energy will ionize the covalent bond and equal no. of
electrons and holes are generated.Therefore under steady state
condition
∆n = ∆p
The minority carrier so created moves from higher concentration to
lower concentration and therefore this minority carrier moves under
diffusion.

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When light falls on n-type semiconductor there are two components of
current:

1. Hole drift current

2. Hole diffusion current(dominating over hole drift current)

The generation rate of minority carriers in n-type semiconductor is

dp excess hole generated

=
dx Minority carrier (hole) life time

Unit : e-h pair/cm3/sec

When light is focused on the n-type semiconductor , the rate of

generation minority carrier is given by following :

p0 denotes hole concentration under thermal equilibrium in n-type semiconductor.

(p-p0)

(p-p0)e-x/lp

Excess hole concentration

Lp

Light is
Light is turned ON turned OFF
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The length of diffusion of the hole is defined as the distance into the
semiconductor in which the injected concentration falls to 1/e of its
peak value.
 If the distance x is slightly greater than Lp .The excess hole
concentration will be reduce to zero.

PHOTOCONDUCTORS

They are also called PHOTORESISTORS.

When light falls on a semiconductor , its conductivity increases or its
resistivity decreases. When light falls on a semiconductor, the photon
energy will ionize the covalent bond.Therefore σ ↑ as or ρ ↓.
The property due to which σ increases with the light is called
PHOTOCONDUCTIVE EFFECT.
The property due to which the resistivity(ρ) of the material decreases
with light is called PHOTORESISTIVE EFFECT.
Photoconductive effect is also called photoresistive effect.
If electrons are excited from valance band to conduction band , it is
INTRINSIC EXCITATION.

Minimum photon energy required for intrinsic excitation = Energy Gap.

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According to photon energy equation
CB

EC2 =hμ = hc/λ

EC2

For intrinsic excitation

VB
hμ = EC2

A photon energy can excite an electron from donor energy level into
conduction band in the n-type semiconductor OR photon energy can
excite from valance band into acceptor energy level in the p-type
semiconductor .This phenomenon is known as EXTRINSIC EXCITING.

For extrinsic excitation the minimum photon energy required is

0.01 eV → Ge

0.05 eV → Si

CB CB

EC
ED

EA
EV
VB VB

n-type p-type

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WAVELENGTH OF RADIATING LIGHT

λ = 1.24/EC2 μm

The response curve of response

Ge and Si material

When compared to Si , Ge Si

is more sensitive to light. Ge

wavelength of visible light λ

1.2 1.7
is in range of 0.38 μm to 0.76 μm.

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