Engineering Physics Lab

EXPERIMENT- 7
Energy Band Gap
B.Tech. (I year, II Sem ) 2020-21
Subject : Engg. Physics Lab

AJAY SHARMA
Department of Physics
Swami Keshvanand Institute of Technology, Management &
Gramothan, Jaipur
 EXPERIMENT- 7
Energy Band Gap
AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT
Determine the band gap using a P-N junction diode.

APPARATUS REQUIRED:
• Ge/Si semiconductor diode
• Microammeter (0-50 µA)
• Voltmeter (0-20 V)
• Thermometer
• Oven (electrical heater to heat the semiconductor diode)
• Battery or dc power supply.
Energy band gap (Forbidden gap) (ΔEgg) : The energy gap between the bottom of the
conduction band and the top of the valance band.
i.e. ΔEgg = Ecc-Evv
 P-N Junction Semiconductor Diodes
• Semiconductor diode is simply the
combination of a p-type and an n-type
material. It is formed by doping half of the
Si/Ge crystal with trivalent impurity (p-
type) and the other half with pentavalent
impurity (n-type).

• If there is no voltage is applied across the

junction, electrons will diffuse through the
junction to p - side and holes will diffuse
through the junction to n - side and they
combine with each other.
• Thus the acceptor atom near the p - side and
donor atom near n – side are left unutilized
and is called the depletion layer.
 P-N Junction Semiconductor Diodes: Forward Biasing

• Forward biasing occurs when the

positive end of the diode is connected to
the positive terminal of the battery, and
its negative end to the negative terminal
of the battery.
• Here, majority carriers from both sides
move towards and cross the junction and
current flows through the junction. This
current is known as the forward current
and is the order of 10-3 A (order of mA).
• The size of the depletion layer decreases
in forward biasing.
 P-N Junction Semiconductor Diodes: Reverse Biasing

• Reverse biasing occurs when the

positive end of the diode is connected to
the negative terminal of the battery, and
its negative end to the positive terminal
of the battery.
• Here, majority carriers from both sides
move away from the junction and thus
no current flows through the junction.
• A very small current (order of µA) will
made at the junction due to the
movement of minority charge carriers
across the junction.
 Reverse biased P-N Junction Diodes
To determine the energy band gap of a semi-conducting material, we study the variation
of its conductance with temperature in reverse biased.

• In reverse bias, the current flowing

through the PN junction is quite small
and internal heating of the junction
does not take place.

• When PN junction is placed in reverse

bias, the current flows through the
junction due to minority charge carriers
only. The concentration of these charge
carriers depend on band gap ΔE (Eg). Characteristics of a p-n junction diode
 Reverse biased P-N Junction Diodes
• The saturation value, Is of reverse current depends on the temperature of
junction diode and it is given by the following equation,
Experimental setup of Energy Band Gap in Lab

- + - +
Experimental setup of Energy Band Gap in Lab

- + - +
 Microammeter and Voltmeter

Microammeter (0-50 µA) Voltmeter (0-20 V)

 EXPERIMENT- 7
Energy Band Gap
OBJECT
Determine the band gap using a P-N junction diode.

APPARATUS :
• Ge/Si semiconductor diode
• Microammeter (0-50 µA)
• Voltmeter (0-20 V)
• Thermometer
• Oven (electrical heater to heat the semiconductor diode)
• Battery or dc power supply.
THEORY AND FORMULA:
 The energy gap between the top of the valence band and bottom of the conduction band is known as
band gap.
\ Band gap Eg = Ec – Ev.

Here Ev: Energy level corresponding to the top of the valence band
Ec: Energy level corresponding to the bottom of the conduction band.
 
When a P-N junction is reverse biased then current formed is due to minority carriers whose
concentration is dependent on the energy gap DE or Eg. The reverse current Is (saturated value) is a
function of the temperature of junction diode. For small range of temperature the relation can be
expressed as :-
log Is = .....(1)
where,
vn = Velocity of electrons; vp = Velocity of holes;
A = Area of the junction ; Nn = concentration of electrons in n- region;
Np = concentration of electrons in p- region; K = Boltzmann constant (1.38 x 10-23 J/K);
T = Absolute temperature of junction
For small range of temperature Is depends only on term containing temperature as the other
term is a constant being independent of temperature. So
Δ𝐸
log Is = Constant -
𝐾𝑇
103
log10 Is = Constant - 5.036 E ቀ ቁ .....(2)
𝑇

where T is temperature in kelvin. A graph between log10 Is and (103/T) is plotted

which comes out to be a straight line. Slope of this line
Slope = – 5.036 E
Slope Circuit Diagram for Band gap
  E = − 𝟓.𝟎𝟑𝟔 .....(3) Determination
PROCEDURE:

1. Connect the circuit as shown in figure i.e. positive of 0-20 V power supply to N-side of
diode and to positive of voltmeter. Connect negative of power supply to negative of
voltmeter and negative of microammeter (µA) and positive of micro ammeter to P-side
of diode.
2. Switch on the instrument using on/off toggle switch provided on front panel and adjust
the voltage at 2.5V DC and note down the reverse current.
3. Now switch on the power supply of the oven and allow the temperature to increase upto
800C. Temperature starts increasing and the reading of the microammeter starts
increasing.
4. When temperature reaches to 800C, switch off the oven and note down the maximum
reading shown by micro ammeter.
5. As the temperature starts falling, record the values of microammeter reading in
observation table after every 50C drop in temperature.
6. Plot a graph between 103 /T along x axis and log10Is along y axis, and the slope of the
line is determined from the graph.
OBSERVATION TABLE: Constant Voltage = 2.5 Volt
Slope
  of line =

1.75

Temperature Temperature Current Is

S.No. 103/T (K-1) Log10Is
T (in C)
0
T (in K) (in μ amp) 1.4

A(x1,y1)
1.  80    41    
1.05

2.  75    28    

log10 Is
B(x2,y2)

3.  70    18     0.7

4.  65    14    
0.35

5.  60    11    
6. 55 9 0
2.875 3 3.125 3.25 3.375

7. 50 7 103/T (K-1)

8. 45 5
9. 40 3 Graph between log10 Is and (103/T)

10. 35 2
 Temperature Temperature Current Is
S.No. 103/T (K-1) Log10Is
T (in C)
0
T (in K) (in μ amp)

1.  80 353   41 2.8329  1.6128  CALCULATION:

 
2.  75  348  28  2.8736  1.4472 Slope of line = = = = -3.1693

3.  70  343  18  2.9155  1.2553 BAND GAP =

4.  65  338  14  2.9586  1.1461

% error =
5.  60  333  11  3.0030  1.0414
6. 55 328 9 3.0488 0.9542
7. 50 323 7 3.0960 0.8451
8. 45 318 5 3.1447 0.6990
9. 40 313 3 3.1949 0.4771
10. 35 308 2 3.2468 0.3010
CALCULATION:
The slope of the graph between log10Is & (103/T) = ..........
Slope
Energy band gap DE = 
5.036

= ..........eV

Percentage Error (% error)  X 100 = …….%

RESULT:
The energy band gap for a given semiconductor Eg= ........eV
The value of energy band gap is Eg ≈ 0.7 eV for Ge
≈ 1.1 eV for Si
Percentage Error = ………. %
PRECAUTIONS:
(1) The diode should be reverse biased.
(2) Do not use the Instrument in wet environments.
(3) Do not heat beyond 80ºC in case of Ge diode and 120ºC in case of Si diode.
(4) Bulb of the thermometer and diode should be inserted well in the oven.
(5) The current through the sample was adjusted to the most bearable minimum, because if large,
it will amount to overheating.

Viva-Questions: (At least five )

Q.1: What are Semiconductors?

Ans.: Semiconductors are those materials whose resistivity lies between those of conductors and
insulators, i.e. of the order of 108 to 10-1 of units of resistance.

Q.2: What are energy bands in Solids?

Ans.: In solids there are very large number of atoms which are situated very close to each other. Due
to mutual interactions among them their energy levels spilt up. Being very close to each other these
energy levels from almost continuous energy bands.