SEMICONDUCTOR

THEORY OF FERMI

THEORY

FERMI DIRAC STATICS:

The Fermi-Dirac distribution can never have more than one fermion in a
given single-particle state. That follows from the fact that the
exponential in the denominator of the distribution is always greater than
zero, making the denominator greater than one.

We can make use of functions f (E) which determines the carrier

occupancy of the energy.

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SEMICONDUCTOR

THEORY OF FERMI

THEORY

Where f (E) = probability of a particular energy level E which is occupied by an

electron
Ef = Fermi- energy
K = Boltzman constant
T= Tempertature

The Fermi-Dirac distribution gives the number of electrons, or other

fermions, per single-particle state for a macroscopic system at a
nonzero temperature.
Typically, the effects of nonzero temperature remain restricted to a,
relatively speaking, small number of electrons near the Fermi
energy.

These electrons are within a distance comparable to

of the
Fermi energy. They pick up a thermal energy that is also comparable
to
.
Because of the small number of electrons involved, the effect on the
heat capacity can usually be ignored.

When solids are in electrical contact and in thermal equilibrium,

their (electro)chemical potentials / Fermi levels / Fermi brims /
whatever line up.

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SEMICONDUCTOR

THEORY OF FERMI

THEORY

Fermi Energy or Fermi Level:

The energy of the highest occupied level at zero degree absoulte is called the
Fermi energy and the levels is called as the Fermi level Ef .
When the filling of electrons is taken under consideration then according to
the universal rule the level which as the lowest nergy get filled first.

The energy levels above the fermi level at T=0 K are empty and the other all
levels which lying below it is completelt filled.

Fermi level in Conductors:

According to the classification of solids, the conductors have a alrge number of

free electrons.
1. At T=0 K :

At 0 K the electrons live the upper energy levels vacant and occupy
the lower levels in the conduction band.
Fermi level may considered as the upper most filled level in
conduction band at T=0 K and the band is filled up to certain energy level Ef.

At T = 0 K, levels below Ef have E < Ef

Therefore,

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SEMICONDUCTOR

THEORY OF FERMI

THEORY

= 1

Hence, f (E) = 1 means that all the levels below Ef are occupied by electrons.

At T = 0 K, levels above Ef have E > Ef

Therefore,

= 0
Therefore, f (E) = 0 means all the levels above Ef are vacant.
At T = 0K for E= Ef

=
Therefore, f (E) is interdetrminable.

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+%

SEMICONDUCTOR

THEORY OF FERMI

THEORY

2. At T > 0 K :

The few electrons are exicted to vacant levels above the Ef at

the temperature above 0 K.

Hence, the propababilty to find an electron at E > Ef will

become greater than unity was zero at T= 0 K.

Similarly, the few levels just below Ef will be vavcant because of the
exixtation of electrons and the f (E) will be slighlty reduced which has unity at

T= 0 K.

In the simple language we can say that what increase in f (E) t T > 0K
above E = Ef we get is equal to the reductyion in f (E) below E = Ef .

At E = Ef
For T > 0 K

f (E) =

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= 0.5

SEMICONDUCTOR

THEORY OF FERMI

THEORY

Fermi level in Semi - conductors:

After undersatnding the concept of the fermi level in condcutors

now we can enchae to the concept of fermi level in semiconductor
In an semicondutor there is an conduction band and a valanece band
which is sperated bye a samll energy gap.
At the normal tenpertaure, a significant number of electrons are
exicted to condution band i.e (CB) and from the Valence Band (VB)
leaving behinfd the same numebr of the holes.
Hence, the reason the f (E) has a non- zero probabiltiy above the
fermi level and f (E) reduces by a some amount below the Ef.

From the above daigram we can see that the Fermi level is half way
between CB and VB if its in intrinsics

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