Dr. M. M.

Abdel Aziz

Electronics and photonics

Sheet (0)
Review of Semiconductor Basic
1- Complete the following sentences :
a) In semiconductor materials , the conductivity can be controlled by 1-…….., 2-……..
b) The energy gap is the difference in energy between ……………...
c) Semiconductor materials are :
i- single element such as 1……., 2…….
ii- binary compounds such as : 1…….., 2………
iii- ternary compounds such as : 1……, 2…….

2- Aided with band diagram sketches, explain the difference between insulators,
semiconductors, and conductors.

3- Which of the following are fundamental material properties:

a- conductivity b- current density c- resistance
d- potential energy e- bandgap energy f- mobility

4- Calculate the potential energy ( in eV) of an electron if it exists in a potential of 3V.

5- For the shown configuration , the ammeter reads 5mA, and the voltmeter reads 20V.
The material cylinder has the following parameters : cross-sectional area A = 0.2 cm2,
length l = 4 cm, electron density (at room T ) n = 2.4 × 1010 cm-3. Calculate :
a) Current density J
b) The electric field through the cylinder
c) The electron mobility µe
d) The electron velocity v Variable resistor

Ammeter
+ Battery
l

A Specimen
Voltmeter

6- Choose the correct answer :

a) Conductivity in intrinsic semiconductors:
- increases with temp. - decreases with temp. – does not depend on temp.
b) Current in intrinsic semiconductors is due to :
- electrons - holes - electrons and holes
c) The number of carriers in intrinsic semiconductors is about ( at room T) :
- 1010 m-3 - 1010 cm-3 - 1016 cm-3
d) The p-type semiconductor is obtained by doping the material by:
- pentavalent atoms - holes - electrons - trivalent atoms

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 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

e) An n-type semiconductor material is :

- positive - neutral - negative
f) the conductivity in extrinsic semiconductors:
- increases with temperature - decreases with temperature - does not depend on
temperature
g) The majority carriers in p-type semiconductor is :
- holes - positive ions -electrons
h) The minority carriers in n-type semiconductor is :
- holes - negative ions -electrons

7- Explain the following :

a) Electron current and hole current
b) Electron-hole pair generation
c) Donor and acceptor atoms
e) Electrons are more mobile than holes.
f) Carrier mobility decreases with increasing impurity concentration in extrinsic
semiconductors.
g) Majority carriers and minority carriers

8- Give another name for the following:

a) Conduction band electrons
b) Energy band-gap
c) Addition of trivalent or pentavalent material to silicon
d) Barrier potential
e) Free-electrons in p-type semiconductor
f) f ) Depletion region
g) Boron atoms when added to silicon
h) Phosphorus atoms when added to silicon
i) Silicon when doped with boron
j) Current due to density gradient
k) Free-electrons in n-type semiconductor
l) Free-carriers in p-type semiconductor

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 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

Sheet (1)
The p-n Junction

1. Correct and explain :

In a p-n junction, the net current flows across the junction is zero because:

Jp(drift) + J p(diff.) = 0, and Jn(drift) + J n(diff.) = 0

2. Why the contact potential of a p-n junction cannot be measured across the device?

3. Starting from the hole current equation in a p-n junction at equilibrium , prove that
the contact potential is:

4. An abrupt Si p-n junction has Na = 1018 cm-3 on the p side and Nd = 1016 cm-3
on the n side. At 300 K,
(a) calculate the Fermi levels, draw an equilibrium band diagram, and find V0 from
the diagram;
(b) compare the result from (a) withV 0 calculated from problem 3.

5. Prove that the Fermi-level must be constant through the p-n junction at equilibrium.

6. Explain the following:

a- The electric field goes to zero at the edges of the transition region.
b- The electric field has a maximum at the physical contact between n and p-regions.

7. Starting with Poisson's equation, prove that:

8. Prove that the electric field in the p-side of the transition region is given by :
( ) ( )
And in the n-side

( ) ( )

9. Starting from the equation

∫ ( )

And using equation of problem (8) prove that the transition region width is given by
:

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 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

[ ( )]
Find also expressions for xp0 and xn0

10. A Si p-n junction has a circular cross-section with diameter of 10 µm. If Na = 5

×1017 cm-3 and Nd = 1016 cm-3
a- Calculate xp0 , xn0 , Q+ , and , at equilibrium ( 300 K )
b- Sketch ( ) and charge density to scale.

11. Aided with diagrams, explain the effect of both forward and reverse bias on the
following features of the junction:
a- Potential barrier
b- Electric field
c- Transition region
d- Separation of energy bands

12. Fill in the following table with High – Low - Constant with respect to
equilibrium values

Current Hole diffusion Hole drift Electron diffusion Electron drift

current current current current
Bias
Forward
Reverse

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 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

Sheet (2)

Forward and Reverse Biased Junction,

Metal – Semiconductor Junction
1. State four requirements for the p-n junction to operate as an ideal diode rectifier.

2. Explain the effect of the following parameters on the diode rectifier operation:
a- Material bandgap b- doping concentration c- junction area

3. When the zener diode is operating in the breakdown mode , then the current:
a- decreases with bias b- increases with bias c- does not depend on bias

4. Two types of capacitance associated with a junction : 1-…….2-…….

5. In a p+ - n junction , explain how to obtain the doping concentration of the n-region

from measurement of capacitance.

6. The metal – semiconductor junction has the following advantages over the p-n
junction: 1……2……..3…….

7. Explain what is meant by “ Schottky effect “.

8. In a metal – n semiconductor junction:

a- φm > φs b- φm < φs c- φm > qχ

9. Explain the I-V characteristic of a metal –n semiconductor junction for the forward
and reverse bias cases.

10. The reverse saturation current I0 in a metal – n junction depends on :

a- type of metal b- temperature c- bias

11. In a reverse biased abrupt p-n junction, the junction capacitance Cj :

a- Cj  Vr1/2 b- Cj  Vr-1/2 c- Cj  Vr2

12. In a metal-n semiconductor junction ,  m = 15 eV, and  S = 9 eV

a- the junction is : - rectifying - ohmic
b- the potential barrier V0 = ……….

13. In a metal-p semiconductor junction ,  m = 8 eV, and  S = 12 eV

a- the junction is : - rectifying - ohmic
b- the potential barrier V0 = ………..

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 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

14. The excess electron carriers in an n+ - p junction is given by

Px n ,t   Pn t  exp x n / LP  . Write an expression for Pn t 

15. In a p+-n diode reverse biased at 5 V, the generated capacitance is 20 pF. If the
doping of the p side is doubled and the bias is change to 20 V, what will be the
change in capacitance? If now the bias is changed to 100 V, then what will be the
change?

16. Consider an n+- p junction under reverse bias of 5 V. Let Na = 5 . 1017 cm–3. Find
the reverse current density due to diffusion. [Given: Dn = 10 cm2/sec, Ln = 45mm]

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 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

Sheet (3)
Bipolar Junction Transistor,
Field- Effect Transistor

1. Explain the three components of the base current in a p – n – p transistor.

2. In a p+ - n – p transistor :
a- The base transport factor B = 1 means ………
b- The emitter junction efficiency γ = 1 means …….
3. Using the principle of steady state charge neutrality, show that the current
p
amplification factor in p+ - n – p transistor is 
t

4. Explain the basic requirements for a good p – n – p transistor

5. For the transistor in the circuit shown , calculate the space charge due to excess
electrons and holes in the base region. Find β and I C . ( τp = 12 µs and τt = 0.1 µs )

6. The transistor shown in the following figure has n = p = 0.2  sec and t = 10 n sec
in the base region, if VBE =0.7V, calculate :
a) the space charge in the base region .
b) the current gain factor .
c) the collector current IC

5V 12V
RC
+

IE 1k
IB
RE IC
50k +
P n P

7. Aided with equations and diagrams, explain how to measure the current gain factor
 for a BJT using the shown circuit. Find out expressions for t and B

8. In the shown figure, if V = 8V, RB = 20K, RL = 2K, Vcc= 12V, and the value
of
CB required to obtain instantaneous transistor switching is 3nF. What are the values of
t , B , and  ?

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 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

Vcc

CB RL

Q1

V
RB

9. Sketch the basic structure of the JFET. Aided with the Current-Voltage
characteristics, explain its operation, then define both the pinch-off voltage, and the
cut-off voltage.

10. Sketch the construction and the transfer characteristics of the following devices :
a) n-channel JFET,
b) p-channel D-MOSFET
c) n-channel E-MOSFET
d) p-channel E-MOSFET

11. Sketch the circuit symbol, structure and the transfer characteristics of the CMOS inverter.

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 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

Sheet (4)

Photonic Devices
1. Complete the following sentences :
a) In semiconductor materials , the light emitted or absorbed depends on: 1-…….., 2-
……..
b) Fast luminescent processes are referred to as. ………… slow processes are called
….....
c) The mean lifetime of EHP in phosphors is: ……. ( large / small)
d) A material with bandgap energy 1eV will radiate light with λ = ………….
e) The injection electroluminescence effect occurs in ………….. device
f) The major radiative recombination processes in semiconductor devices are
1……..2…..…3……..4……..
g) Two types of optical detectors are commonly used: 1………2…….
h) Four types of semiconductor junction detectors: 1…..2…..3…..4……..
i) The photodetectors with internal gain are : 1……2……
j) In a solar cell, the photon current mainly depends on: 1.....2…..3……

2. Aided with band diagram sketches, explain the phenomena of fluorescence and
phosphorescence in semiconductor materials.

3. Aided with band diagram sketches, explain the injection electroluminescence process in a
LED.

4. Draw the structure of p- AlGaAs / p-GaAs / n-AlGaAs double heterojunction LED. Aided
with a sketch of the band diagram, explain the two confinement process occur in the device.

5. Differentiate between thermal devices, and photon devices from point of view of :
operation – speed of response – optical gain.

6. Aided with sketches of structure and band diagram, explain the operation of the p-n
junction photodiode.

7. Explain the three modes of detection of the EHP generation process in a photodiode.

8. Define the quantum efficiency and responsivity for a photodiode. Derive expressions for
these two parameters at a particular wavelength.

9. When 5.6×1011 photons each with a wavelength of 0.68 µm are incident on a photodiode.
On average, 3.2 × 1011 electrons are collected on the terminals of the device. Determine the
quantum efficiency and responsivity of the photodiode .

10. Aided with circuit diagram and the I – V characteristics , explain the operation of the
phototransistor. Derive an expression of the transistor gain.

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 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

Sheet 5
The Laser

1. Calculate the ratio of the stimulated emission rate to the spontaneous emission rate
for an incandescent lamp operating at a temperature of 1000 K. It may be assumed
that the average operating wavelength is 0.5 µm.

2. At what temperature are the rates of spontaneous and stimulated emission equal (
take λ = 500 nm )? At what wavelength are they equal at room temperature ( T =
300 K )?

3. A ruby laser contains a crystal of length 5 cm with a refractive index of 1.78. The
peak emission wavelength from the device is 0.55 µm. Determine the number of
longitudinal modes and their frequency separation.

4. An injection laser has an active cavity with losses of 30 cm-1 and the reflectivity of
the each cleaved laser facet is 30%. Determine the laser gain coefficient for the
cavity when it has a length of 650 µm.

5. With the aid of suitable diagrams, discuss the principles of operation of the
injection laser. Outline the semiconductor materials used for emission over the
wavelengthrange 0.8 to 1.7 μm and give reasons for their choice.

6. A GaAs injection laser has an optical cavity of length 300 µm and width 100 µm.
At normal operating temperature the gain factor β is 21 × 10-3A cm-3 and the loss
coefficient α per cm is 10. Determine the threshold current density and hence the
threshold current for the device. It may be assumed that the cleaved mirrors are
uncoated and that the current is restricted to the optical cavity. The refractive index
of GaAs may be taken as 3.6.

7. The total efficiency of an injection laser with a GaAs active region is 18%. The
voltage applied to the device is 2.5 V and the bandgap energy for GaAs is 1.43 eV.
Calculate the external power efficiency of the device.

8. The longitudinal modes of a gallium arsenide injection laser emitting at a

wavelength of 0.87 µm are separated in frequency by 278 GHz. Determine the
length of the optical cavity and the number of longitudinal modes emitted. The
refractive index of gallium arsenide is 3.6.

9. An injection laser has a GaAs active region with a bandgap energy of 1.43 eV.
Estimate the wavelength of optical emission from the device and determine its
linewidth in hertz when the measured spectral width is 0.1 nm.

10. A DH injection laser has an optical cavity of length 50 µm and width 15 µm. At
normal operating temperature the loss coefficient is 10 cm-1 and the current
threshold is 50 mA. When the mirror reflectivity at each end of the optical cavity is
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 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

0.3, estimate the gain factor β for the device. It may be assumed that the current is
confined to the optical cavity.

11. The coated mirror reflectivity at either end of the 350 µm long optical cavity of an
injection laser is 0.5 and 0.65. At normal operating temperature the threshold
current density for the device is 2 × 103 A cm-2 and the gain factor β is 22 × 10-3
cm A-1. Estimate the loss coefficient in the optical cavity.

12. A gallium arsenide injection laser with a cavity of length 500µm has a loss
coefficient of 20 cm-1. The measured differential external quantum efficiency of the
device is 45%. Calculate the internal quantum efficiency of the laser. The refractive
index of gallium arsenide is 3.6.

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