EECS 3610
Homework 1
Professor Gerd Grau
Instructions: You need to submit two components via eClass and Crowdmark for full credit:
1. Every question has five multiple-choice answer options. Once you have completed the
homework, take the quiz on eClass to submit your multiple-choice answers.
2. Answer all the questions on separate sheets of paper. Work must be shown for full credit. Put
your name and student ID on the first page of your submission. Scan your answers and upload
them as one pdf to the assignment on Crowdmark.
Use the following values for constants:
𝑘 = 1.38 ∗ 10 𝐽
ℎ = 6.626 ∗ 10 𝐽𝑠
𝑚 = 9.109 ∗ 10 𝑘𝑔
𝑞 = 1.602 ∗ 10 𝐶
𝐸 = 1.1𝑒𝑉 in Si
𝑁 = 2.8 ∗ 10 𝑐𝑚 in Si at room temperature
𝑁 = 1.08 ∗ 10 𝑐𝑚 in Si at room temperature
Question 1
Calculate the intrinsic carrier concentration ni in silicon at 77K (liquid nitrogen temperature). Make sure
to use the density of states effective masses (mn = 1.08*m0; mp = 0.55*m0).
Answer options:
a) 1.3*10-23 cm-3
b) 2.2*10-18 cm-3
c) 5.9*10-13 cm-3
d) 3.2*10-8 cm-3
e) 8.5*10-3 cm-3
Question 2
Find the position of the Fermi level with respect to the bottom of the conduction band (E C – EF) for
silicon at 300K, which is doped with 4*1012cm-3 of fully ionized arsenic.
Answer options:
a) 23meV
b) 71meV
c) 154meV
d) 247meV
e) 409meV
Question 3
Find the position of the Fermi level with respect to the top of the valence band (EF – EV) for silicon at
300K, which is doped with 4*1012cm-3 of fully ionized arsenic and 7*1017cm-3 of fully ionized boron.
Answer options:
a) 23meV
b) 71meV
c) 154meV
d) 247meV
e) 409meV
Question 4
i) Consider a compensated (containing both donor and acceptor atoms) n-type silicon at
T=300K with a conductivity of 16 S/cm and an acceptor doping concentration of 10 17cm-3.
Determine the donor concentration assuming an electron mobility of 1400 cm 2/V-s.
Answer options:
a) 2.3*1016cm-3
b) 1.0*1017cm-3
c) 1.7*1017cm-3
d) 3.5*1017cm-3
e) 8.9*1017cm-3
ii) In reality, the electron mobility drops with increased impurity concentration (both donors
and acceptors). Use the below graph to determine a better estimate of the required donor
density to achieve the desired conductivity of 16 S/cm. An approximate value is fine.
Answer options:
a) 2.3*1016cm-3
b) 1.0*1017cm-3
c) 1.7*1017cm-3
d) 3.5*1017cm-3
e) 8.9*1017cm-3
Question 5
Calculate the average kinetic energy of electrons in the conduction band due to thermal energy. You can
use the Boltzman approximation. You might find the following integral useful:
√
∫ 𝑒 ∗ 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 =
Answer options:
a) kT/2
b) kT
c) 3/2*kT
d) 2kT
e) 5/2*kT
Question 6
i) Assume the mobility ratio 𝜇 /𝜇 = 𝑏 is a constant in silicon independent of dopant
concentration. Find the minimum conductivity 𝜎 in terms of the intrinsic conductivity 𝜎
at 300K.
Answer options:
a) =
√
b) =
√
√
c) =
√
d) =
e) =
If b=3, ni=1010cm-3 and the hole mobility is 450cm2/V-s, calculate (ii) the intrinsic resistivity 𝜌
and (iii) the maximum resistivity 𝜌 .
ii) Answer options:
a) 3.5 ∗ 10 Ω 𝑐𝑚
b) 8.3 ∗ 10 Ω 𝑐𝑚
c) 2.4 ∗ 10 Ω 𝑐𝑚
d) 5.1 ∗ 10 Ω 𝑐𝑚
e) 9.4 ∗ 10 Ω 𝑐𝑚
iii) Answer options:
a) 4.0 ∗ 10 Ω 𝑐𝑚
b) 6.2 ∗ 10 Ω 𝑐𝑚
c) 1.1 ∗ 10 Ω 𝑐𝑚
d) 3.9 ∗ 10 Ω 𝑐𝑚
e) 9.8 ∗ 10 Ω 𝑐𝑚
Question 7
A photoconductor is a device that measures light by measuring the change in resistance of a
semiconductor exposed to light. A device has the following properties:
𝑁 = 10 𝑐𝑚
𝑁 =0
𝜇 = 1400𝑐𝑚 /𝑉𝑠
𝜇 = 450𝑐𝑚 /𝑉𝑠
Length 500𝜇𝑚
Width 100𝜇𝑚
Thickness 100𝜇𝑚
𝑇 = 300𝐾
A resistance decrease of 200Ω is measured when the device is exposed to light. How many photons have
hit the top surface of the device per unit area? Assume all photons are converted into one electron-hole
pair each. You don’t need to consider recombination.
Answer options:
a) 9.8 ∗ 10 𝑐𝑚
b) 5.1 ∗ 10 𝑐𝑚
c) 3.4 ∗ 10 𝑐𝑚
d) 7.5 ∗ 10 𝑐𝑚
e) 6.8 ∗ 10 𝑐𝑚