Unit wise Question Bank

UNIT 1:
Q1.) What is the difference between a homojunction and a heterojunction?
Ans:A homojunction uses the same semiconductor material (of course with different doping) on
both sides of the junction, a heterojunction uses two semiconductor materials having different
bandgap energies on both sides of the junction.

Q2.)Describe the advantages of polysilicon emitter bipolar transistors.

Ans: A polysilicon emitter BJT uses an emitter, which consists of a sandwich of a polycrystalline
silicon and a single-crystalline silicon layer with the single-crystalline layer forming the junction
to the base. Because of the lower mobility in the polycrystalline film, the gradient in the minority
carrier concentration at the edge of the depletion region in the emitter is reduced compared to the
case of a narrow single-crystalline emitter. This reduced slope yields a reduced (parasitic) B-E
junction current (case of an npn BJT) and, thus, increases emitter efficiency and current gains.

Q3.) Explain why an increasing VCE causes the collector current to increase in a BJT even if
biased in the active region.

Ans: Because of the base width modulation, the effective base width is a function of the voltage
applied across the reverse biased B-C junction; with increasing VCE, the reverse bias of VBC
increases, the depletion region width increases, the effective base width is reduced and the
collector current increases.

The Si energy gap changes monotonically with temperature. What is the basic concept behind this?

Draw the energy level diagram of a PN junction.

How a junction barrier is developed across an unbiased junction?

Make the energy band diagram of a metal and semiconductor junction at equilibrium. Consider Al
metal having a large work function and n-type semiconductor.

Define minority carrier life time.

Prove that for a linearly graded PN junction the maximum electric field in depletion region is 3/2
times of average electric field.

A heter o-junction is formed between n-type Ge (with Nd=1.5×1016cm–3) and p- type GaAs
(withNa=8.5×1015 cm3).

i. Draw the thermal equilibrium energy band diagram of junction.

ii. Calculate the buit-in voltage of the junction.

What are the simple cubic, bcc and fcc structures?

Why does semiconductor behave as an insulator at 0K?

What is Fermi level? Write its significance.

What is impurity and lattice scattering?

What is the difference between drift and diffusion current?

Explain I-V characteristics of Real diodes and also explain Breakdown mechanism in p-n junction
diode.

Draw the energy level diagram of a PN junction.

Give the expression for minority carrier life time.

What is contact potential?

Define depletion width.

The Si energy gap changes monotonically with temperature. What is the basic concept behind this?

Explain Carrier life time, electron hole pair, recombination, diffusion length.