IMRAN BASHA SYED
Asst Professor
ECE Department
Fermi – Level & carrier Concentration
Energy distribution of electrons:-
In order to be able to escape, an e- inside the metal must possess an amount
of energy at least greater then the surface barrier energy EB. It is important to know
what energies are ... possessed by the e- in a metal. This relationship is called the
energy distribution function.
Energy density:-
The distribution in energy of the free e- in a metal.
dnE = ρE dE
Where, dnE - no. of free e-s / cubic meter
dE - energy interval
ρE - density of e- in this interval.
However, within each unit volume of metal will be e-s having al possible
energies.(is this distribution in energy that is expressed by ρE of e-s / electron volt per
cubic meter of metal).
The function ρE may be expressed as the product of
ρE = f (E) N(E)
Where, N(E) – density of state (no. of states / eV / m3 ) in the condition band.
f (E) – is the probability that a quantum state with energy E is occupied
by an e-.
The expression for N(E) is derived and given as
N(E) = γ E1/2
Where, γ is a constant defined by,
γ = 4 π / h3 (2m)3/2 (1.6x10-19)3/2
= 6.8x1027 m-3 eV-3/2
m- Mass of e- h - Planck’s constant.
The Fermi Drive function:-
The equation for f (E) is called Fermi Drive probability function, and
specifies the fraction of all states at energy E occupied under thermal equilibrium
conditions. From quantum statistics it is found that
f (E) = 1 / 1+ e(E-EF) / KT
K - Boltzmann constant eV / ˚ k
T - Temperature, ˚ k
EF – Fermi level, eV
* At E = EF f(E) =1 / 2
Thus, Fermi level represents the energy state with 50 probability of being
filled if no forbidder band exists.
* It may be seen that at T = 0 ˚ k. there are no e-s having energies exceeding EF.
Thus Fermi level is the maximum energy that any e- may posses at 0 ˚ k .
E > EF f (E) = 1 / 1 + e(E-EF) / KT
E term becomes ∞ & f (E) = 0.
* For E < EF at T = 0 ˚ k .
e term becomes in f(E) = 0
so, f(E) = 1
ρE = N(E) = γ E1 / 2
Thus at absolute zero temp
γ E1 / 2 for E< EF
ρE = { 0 for E > EF
This relationship is called completely degenerate energy distribution
function.
Classifiably at T = 0 ˚ k the energy of all e- must be zero But due to Pauli
exclusion that is no twp e-s can be at same energy level (same set of quantum no).
Hence all e-s in practice have energies extending from 0 to EF.
Fermi Level:-
Consider the area under the curve. This area represents the total no. of e-s.
EF
n = ∫ γ E1 / 2 dE
0
EF
3/2
= [2/3γE ]
0
3/2
= 2 / 3 γ EF
.
.. EF = ( 3n / 2 )2 / 3
EF = 3.64x10-19 n2 / 3
N → density of e-s (varies from metal to metal). Hence EF also varies from metal
to metal knowing n, we may calculate the Fermi level EF (EF numerically less than
10 eV).
Carrier concentration & Fermi level of intrinsic semiconductor:-
Carrier concentration:-
We are required to know the concentration of free electrons n and the
concentration of holes p in a semiconductor as the current in intrinsic semiconductor
is due to electron of holes.
(a) Number of electrons in the conduction band.
dnE = ρE dE
Where, ρE represents the density of electrons in this interval
ρE = f (E) N(E)
Sub equation-2 in equation–1
dnE = f (E) N(E) dE
N(E) – density of states in the conduction band.
f (E) – probability that quantum state with energy E occupied by an electron.
dnE – no. of conduction e-s / cubic meter whose energy lies between E + E + dE.
N(E) = γ E1 / 2 → This equation derived on the assumption that the bottom of
the conduction band is at zero potential.
In semiconductor the lower energy in the conduction band is EC and hence
N(E) must be generalized as follows.
N(E) = γ (E – EC)1 / 2
The Fermi function f(E) is given by
f(E) = 1 / 1 + e(E-EF) / KT
At the room temperature (300˚ k) KT ≈ 0.03eV.
→ if E – EF >> 0.03
e(E-EF) / KT ≈ ∞
f(E) = 0
→ if E – EF << 0.03
f(E) = 1
It will be shown that the Fermi level lies in the region of the forbidden
energy gap midway between the valence band and the conduction band.
Energy band diagram of intrinsic semiconductor with Fermi-direction
probability f(E) for 0˚ k & 300˚ k.
At temperature 0˚ k no e-s in conduction band.
f(E) = 0 (probability of finding )
Probability of finding a hole in the valence band is also zero.
At room temperature (300˚ k)
Few e-s gets excited to higher energies. So that few states near the bottom of
the conduction band get filled. Since some of the e- have escaped from the covalent
bond & have shifted to conduction band.
(i) No of e-s in conduction band:-
The concentration of electrons in the conduction band is
∞
N = ∫ N(E) f(E) dE
EC
For E ≥ EC E – EF >> KT and hence e+∞ in f(E) &
f(E) = 1 / 1 + e(E-EF) / KT ≈ 1 / e(E-EF) / KT ≈ e- (E-EF) / KT
∞
and n = ∫ (E – EC)1 / 2 e- (E-EF) / KT dE
EC
This integral evaluates to
n = NC e-(Ec-EF) / KT
Where, NC = 2 [ 2π mn KT / h2 ] 3 / 2
Mn – effective mass of the e-
K – Boltzmann constant
(ii) No. of holes in valence band:-
In a semiconductor, the highest energy in the valence band is EV.
N(E) = γ ( EV – E )1 / 2 (for E < EV in valence band)
A hole signifies a vacancy created by removal of an electron ie an empty level.
Hence Fermi for a hole is 1 – f(E)
Where f(E) represents the probability that the level is occupied by an electron.
f(E) = 1 / 1 + e(E-EF) / KT
1 – f(E) = e(E-EF) / KT / 1 + e(E-EF) / KT
EF – E >> KT
E – EF <<KT for E ≤ EV
1 – F(E) ≈ e(E-EF) / KT / 1
The no. of holes / m3 in the valence band is the area of the lower curve.
Ev
ρ = ∫ N(E) (1 – f(E) ) dE
-∞
Ev
= ∫ γ (EV – E)1 / 2 e-(EF- E) / KT dE
-∞
sub γ & integrate
ρ = NV e-(EF- EV) / KT
Where, NV = 2 [ 2π mn KT / h2 ] 3 / 2
mp – effective mass of the hole.
(ii) Fermi level in intrinsic semiconductor:-
The equation 1 and 2 represents the no. of e-s in C.B & no. of holes in
V.B. This equation is common to intrinsic only thing subscript I is added for
intrinsic.
Since the semiconductor crystal is electrically neutral
ni = ρi
NC e-(Ec-EF) / KT = NV e-(EF- EV) / KT
NC / NV = e-(EF- EV) / KT / e-(Ec-EF) / KT
NC / NV = e-(EF- EV) / KT e-(Ec-EF) / KT
ln NC / NV = EC + EV – 2EF / KT
EC + EV – 2EF = KT ln NC / NV
EF = EC + EV / 2 - KT / 2 ln NC / NV
If the effective mass of e- equals the effective mass of holes.
ie mP = mn then NC = NV
EF = EC + EV / 2
This shows the Fermi level is the centre of the forbidden energy gap.
Carrier concentration & Fermi level of Extrinsic semiconductor:-
(a) Carrier concentration of n – type:-
When impurity of donor type is added to an intrinsic semiconductor, a all
new quantum states produced at the same energy ED.
Then, the total no. of quantum states at ED is equal to the no. of donor
atoms ie ND
nD = ND 1 / 1 + e(ED- EF) / KT
ED - depends on type of impurity
ND – depends on concentration of impurity.
At room temperature 300˚ k ED – EF >> KT
ED – EF / KT >> 1
nD = ND 1 / e(ED- EF) / KT
nD = ND e -(ED- EF) / KT
Equation gives density of occupied states in terms of
(i) density of available states ND
(ii) Fermi level EF
(iii) Temperature T.
P – type semiconductor:-
With acceptor type impurity, the density of electrons nA which have
thermally raised from the valence band into the acceptor states at energy level EA is
given by
nA = NA 1 / 1 + e(EA- EF) / KT
NA - concentration of acceptor atoms.
(b) Fermi level in n – type semiconductor:-
In n – type semiconductor.
Density of donar atoms ND exceeds density of acceptor atoms NA
If ND >> NA we can neglect nA
n = NC e-(EC- EF) / KT
ND = NC e-(EC- EF) / KT
- (E
ln (ND / NC) = C – EF) / KT
ln (ND / NC) = EF – EC / KT
EF = KT ln (ND / NC) + EC
EF = EC - KT ln NC / ND
Equation shows, that the Fermi level EF lies below EC by a value depending on
temp T & ND of donar.
P – type semiconductor:-
In the p – type semiconductor
density of acceptor atoms exceeds the density of donar atoms.
ie NA >> ND
ρ = NV e-(EF- EV) / KT
NA = NV e-(EF- EV) / KT
KT ln NA / NV = - (EF – EV)
KT ln NA / NV = - EF + EV
EF = EV - KT ln NA / NV
EF = EV + KT ln (NV / NA)
Equation shows that the Fermi level EF lies above the top of the valence band
by a value depending on temp T & concentration of acceptor atom NA.
