Introduction to

Semiconductor Materials
 Summary
• Course use: DC circuits and/or AC circuits.
Semiconductor devices or solid state courses. In-class
presentation.
• Objective: To provide an early introduction to
semiconductor devices prior to a formal course to reinforce
their importance and their total dominance of electronics
hardware.
• Content: Defines semiconductors and shows basic atomic
structures. Summarizes types of semiconductor materials.
Introduces PN junctions and diodes. Gives an overview of
the concept of a transistor and how it is used in electronics.
A brief introduction to integrated circuits.
 Prerequisites
• To understand this presentation, you should
have the following prior knowledge:
– Draw the structure of an atom, including electrons,
protons, and neutrons.
– Define resistance and conductance.
– Label an electronic schematic, indicating current flow.
– Define Ohm’s and Kirchhoff’s laws.
– Describe the characteristics of DC and AC (sine wave)
voltages.
 Student Learning Outcomes
• Upon completion of viewing this presentation, you
should be able to:
– Define conductor, insulator and semiconductor, and
state the resistance or conductance of each.
– Name at least three semiconductor materials and state
the most widely used.
– Name the basic structure of material and explain how it
is formed with atoms.
– Define doping and name the two types of
semiconductor material formed with doping.
– Name the current carriers in N and P-type material.
– Explain how current flows in semiconductor material.
 Electronic Materials
• The goal of electronic materials is to
generate and control the flow of an
electrical current.
• Electronic materials include:
1. Conductors: have low resistance which
allows electrical current flow
2. Insulators: have high resistance which
suppresses electrical current flow
3. Semiconductors: can allow or suppress
electrical current flow
 Conductors
• Good conductors have low resistance so
electrons flow through them with ease.
• Best element conductors include:
– Copper, silver, gold, aluminum, & nickel
• Alloys are also good conductors:
– Brass & steel
• Good conductors can also be liquid:
– Salt water
 Conductor Atomic Structure
• The atomic structure of
good conductors usually
includes only one
electron in their outer
shell.
– It is called a valence
electron.
– It is easily striped from the
atom, producing current
flow.

Copper Atom
 Insulators
• Insulators have a high resistance so current
does not flow in them.
• Good insulators include:
– Glass, ceramic, plastics, & wood
• Most insulators are compounds of several
elements.
• The atoms are tightly bound to one another
so electrons are difficult to strip away for
current flow.
 Semiconductors
• Semiconductors are materials that essentially
can be conditioned to act as good conductors,
or good insulators, or any thing in between.
• Common elements such as carbon, silicon,
and germanium are semiconductors.
• Silicon is the best and most widely used
semiconductor.
Semiconductor Valence Orbit

• The main
characteristic of a
semiconductor
element is that it has
four electrons in its
outer or valence
orbit.
 Crystal Lattice Structure
• The unique capability
of semiconductor
atoms is their ability to
link together to form a
physical structure
called a crystal lattice.
• The atoms link
together with one
another sharing their
outer electrons.
• These links are called 2D Crystal Lattice Structure
covalent bonds.
3D Crystal Lattice Structure
 Semiconductors can be Insulators
• If the material is pure semiconductor material like
silicon, the crystal lattice structure forms an excellent
insulator since all the atoms are bound to one another
and are not free for current flow.
• Good insulating semiconductor material is referred to
as intrinsic.
• Since the outer valence electrons of each atom are
tightly bound together with one another, the electrons
are difficult to dislodge for current flow.
• Silicon in this form is a great insulator.
• Semiconductor material is often used as an insulator.
 Doping
• To make the semiconductor conduct electricity,
other atoms called impurities must be added.
• “Impurities” are different elements.
• This process is called doping.
 Semiconductors can be Conductors
• An impurity, or element
like arsenic, has 5
valence electrons.
• Adding arsenic (doping)
will allow four of the
arsenic valence
electrons to bond with
the neighboring silicon
atoms.
• The one electron left
over for each arsenic
atom becomes available
to conduct current flow.
 Resistance Effects of Doping
• If you use lots of arsenic atoms for doping,
there will be lots of extra electrons so the
resistance of the material will be low and
current will flow freely.
• If you use only a few boron atoms, there will
be fewer free electrons so the resistance will
be high and less current will flow.
• By controlling the doping amount, virtually
any resistance can be achieved.
 Another Way to Dope
• You can also dope a
semiconductor material with an
atom such as boron that has
only 3 valence electrons.
• The 3 electrons in the outer orbit
do form covalent bonds with its
neighboring semiconductor
atoms as before. But one atom
is missing from the bond.
• This place where a fourth
electron should be is referred to
as a hole.
• The hole assumes a positive
charge so it can attract
electrons from some other
source.
• Holes become a type of current
carrier like the electron to
support current flow.
 Types of Semiconductor Materials
• The silicon doped with extra electrons is
called an “N type” semiconductor.
– “N” is for negative, which is the charge of an
electron.
• Silicon doped with material missing
electrons that produce locations called holes
is called “P type” semiconductor.
– “P” is for positive, which is the charge of a hole.
 Current Flow in N-type Semiconductors
• The DC voltage source has
a positive terminal that
attracts the free electrons in
the semiconductor and pulls
them away from their atoms
leaving the atoms charged
positively.
• Electrons from the negative
terminal of the supply enter
the semiconductor material
and are attracted by the
positive charge of the atoms
missing one of their
electrons.
• Current (electrons) flows
from the positive terminal to
the negative terminal.
 Current Flow in P-type Semiconductors
• Electrons from the
negative supply terminal
are attracted to the
positive holes and fill them.
• The positive terminal of the
supply pulls the electrons
from the holes leaving the
holes to attract more
electrons.
• Current (electrons) flows
from the negative terminal
to the positive terminal.
• Inside the semiconductor
current flow is actually by
the movement of the holes
from positive to negative.
 In Summary
• In its pure state, semiconductor material is an excellent
insulator.
• The commonly used semiconductor material is silicon.
• Semiconductor materials can be doped with other atoms to
add or subtract electrons.
• An N-type semiconductor material has extra electrons.
• A P-type semiconductor material has a shortage of
electrons with vacancies called holes.
• The heavier the doping, the greater the conductivity or the
lower the resistance.
• By controlling the doping of silicon the semiconductor
material can be made as conductive as desired.
• Understanding Semiconductor Materials in Electronics
• Semiconductor materials play a crucial role in the functioning of electronic devices that we use
in our daily lives. These materials have a unique property that allows them to conduct
electricity under certain conditions, making them essential for the creation of devices like
computers, smartphones, and televisions. In simple terms, semiconductors are materials that
have conductivity between that of a conductor (like copper) and an insulator (like rubber). This
property is what makes them so versatile and important in the world of electronics.
• The structure of semiconductor materials is carefully engineered to control the flow of
electricity within a device. At the atomic level, semiconductors have a crystalline structure that
allows for the precise movement of electrons. By introducing impurities into the crystal lattice
through a process called doping, manufacturers can alter the conductivity of the material and
create either a surplus of negative charge (n-type) or positive charge (p-type). This ability to
manipulate conductivity is what enables the sophisticated functions of modern electronic
devices.
• There are various types of semiconductor materials used in electronics, each with its own
unique properties and applications. Silicon is the most widely used semiconductor in the
industry due to its abundance and stable chemical properties. Other semiconductors, such as
germanium and gallium arsenide, offer different advantages in terms of speed, efficiency, and
temperature tolerance. By combining these materials in different ways, engineers can design
and produce electronic components that power the technology we rely on every day.