A SURVEY OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

IEEE EDS Distinguished Lecture 

A SURVEY OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES 

N.C. A&T State University 

Greensboro, NC 

Jan. 28, 2011 

Kwok Ng 

Sr. Director 

Semiconductor Research Corp (SRC) 

Research Triangle Park, N. Carolina 

1/39 K. Ng

K. K. Ng, Complete Guide to Semiconductor Devices, 2nd Ed., 

Wiley/IEEE Press, 2002.

BASIC ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS 

L ---------------- DIFFERENTIATOR V L , STABILIZE I 

dI 

= ---dt 

1 

C ---------------- INTEGRATOR V = --- I dt, 

STABILIZE V 

C∫ 

R ---------------- DEVELOP VOLTAGE DROP, RESISTS I 

DIODE --------- RECTIFIER, NON-LINEAR, LOGIC (LIMITED) 

TRANSISTOR----- LOGIC, AMPLIFICATION 

3/39 K. Ng

WHY IS TRANSISTOR THAT USEFUL? 

1. TRANSFER-RESISTOR => AMPLIFICATION 

(DIODE CAN’T) 

2. 3-TERMINAL => INPUT/OUTPUT ISOLATION 

(DIODE CAN’T) 

3. INVERTER (MUST FOR DIGITAL CIRCUITS, DIODE CAN’T) 

IN OUT 

IN OUT 

4/39 K. Ng

HOW VACUUM TUBES WORK 

HEATER 

I 

ELECTRONS 

CATHODE 

SCL CURRENT 

ANODE 

VACUUM 

GLASS TUBE 

T2 > T1 

T1 

TEMP.-LIMITED 

CURRENT 

V 

V 

5/39 K. Ng

IP 

PLATE 

CATHODE 

T2 > T1 

T 1 

V P 

TEMP-LIMITED 

CURRENT 

SCL CURRENT 

V P 

VG 

GRID 

IP VG = 0 

VACUUM TUBES 

DIODE TUBE TRIODE TUBE TETRODE TUBE PENTODE TUBE 

PLATE 

CATHODE 

V G < 0 

V P 

VP 

VG 

IP 

GRID 

CATHODE 

PLATE 

VG = 0 

V P 

V P 

SCREEN 

VG < 0 

SUPPRESSOR 

GRID 

VG 

IP 

PLATE 

CATHODE 

VG = 0 

VG < 0 

V P 

VP 

SCREEN 

6/39 K. Ng

HIGH POWER DISSIPATION 

LOW RELIABILITY 

LARGE SIZE 

After S. M. Sze 

PROBLEMS OF VACUUM TUBES 

LOW POWER DISSIPATION 

HIGH RELIABILITY 

SMALL SIZE 

TRANSISTOR 

SOLUTION 

7/39 K. Ng

10 18 10 16 10 14 10 12 10 10 10 8 10 6 10 4 10 2 1 10 –2 10 –4 10 –6 10 –8 

SULFUR 

DIAMOND (PURE) 

FUSED QUARTZ 

WHAT IS SEMICONDUCTOR? 

GLASS 

NICKEL OXIDE (PURE) 

RESISTIVITY ρ (Ω-cm) 

GERMANIUM (Ge) 

SILICON (Si) 

GALLIUM ARSENIDE (GaAs) 

GALLIUM PHOSPHIDE (GaP) 

CADMIUM SULFIDE (CdS) 

SILVER 

COPPER 

ALUMINUM 

PLATINUM 

BISMUTH 

10–18 10–16 10–14 10–12 10–10 10–8 10–6 10–4 10–2 1 102 104 106 108 

CONDUCTIVITY σ (S/cm) 

INSULATOR SEMICONDUCTOR 

0.1 eV < Eg < 4 eV 

METAL 

8/39 K. Ng

WHY IS SEMICONDUCTOR USEFUL? 

SOLID STATE, SINGLE CRYSTAL (RELIABILITY, DENSITY) 

GOOD CONDUCTIVITY (VARIABLE) 

DOPING CAN BE DEPLETED => SPACE CHARGE => POTENTIAL BARRIER 

(NOT IN METAL) 

FIELD CAN PENETRATE (NOT IN METAL) 

ENERGY GAP => PHOTONIC DEVICES (NOT IN METAL) 

ELIMINATE 

VACUUM TUBE 

ELIMINATE 

INSULATOR 

ELIMINATE 

METAL 

9/39 K. Ng

p-n JUNCTION FIELD-EFFECT TRANSISTOR 

LED LASER SOLAR 

CELL TUNNEL p-n 

DIODE DIODE MOSFET MESFET MODFET 

ZENER 

DIODE 

SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE HIERARCHY: device vs. variation 

VARACTOR TFT DMOS 

≈ 77 

MAJOR 

DEVICES 

≈ 120 

RELATED 

DEVICES 

10/39 K. Ng

Examples: 

Some are device variations 

III-V MOSFET, CNT FET, graphene FET 

These are variations of channel materials for MOSFET. 

Examples: 

Some are not “Semiconductor” devices 

Single-electron transistor 

Molecular devices 

Spintronics 

Polymer devices 

MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) 

etc 

11/39 K. Ng

Device vs. Circuit 

Device: parts cannot be reconnected by wire 

Bipolar transistor 

MOSFET 

Device Circuit 

n 

p 

n 

n 

p 

n p 

n + p n 

p 

+ n + n + 

CMOS inverter 

p-MOS 

n-MOS 

CMOS detector (no gain as 

phototransistor) 

Detector MOSFET 

12/39 K. Ng

“All it Takes is Concentration”

SEMICONDUCTOR-DEVICE CLASSIFICATION 

1.Diodes Rectifiers 

Neg Resist N-shape 

S-shape 

Transit-Time 

2.Resistive/Capacitive Devices 

3.Transistors FET 

PET 

4.Nonvolatile Memories 

5.Thyristors and Power 

6.Photonics Light Sources 

Photodetectors 

Bistable Opt Dev 

Others 

7.Sensors 

14/39 K. Ng

American Heritage 

WHAT IS DIODE? 

“An electronic device that restricts current flow chiefly to one direction” 

Webster’s 

“A rectifier that consists of a semiconducting crystal with two terminals and that is 

analogous in use to an electron tube diode.” 

Inconsistent devices: 

I 

New IEEE Standard Dictionary of Electrical and Electronics Terms 

V f 

TUNNEL DIODE 

“A semiconductor device having two terminals and exhibiting a nonlinear voltagecurrent 

characteristics” 

I 

GUNN DIODE 

V 

15/39 K. Ng



S-shape 

Transit-Time 



PET 






Others 

7.Sensors 

1. p-n Diode 

2. Schottky-Barrier 

Diode 

3. Planar-Doped- 

Barrier Diode 

δ-doped-, 

pulse-doped-, 

triangularbarrier 

4. Isotype 

Heterojunction 

5. p-i-n Diode 

p 

n 

n 

RF R 

VBD 

16/39 K. Ng 

I 

DC I 

Vf



S-shape 

Transit-Time 



PET 






Others 

7.Sensors 

1. Tunnel Diode 

2. Transferred- 

Electron Device, 

Gunn diode 

3. Resonant- 

Tunneling Diode 

4. Resonant- 

Interband 


5. Real-Space- 

Transfer Diode 

6. Single-Barrier 

Tunnel Diode 

7. Single-Barrier 

Interband- 


E 

GaAs 

E EC 

EV 

k 

AlGaAs 

I 

dI/dV = 

NEGATIVE 

V f 

17/39 K. Ng



S-shape 

Transit-Time 



PET 






Others 

7.Sensors 

1. MIS Switch (MISS) 

2. Planar-Doped- 

Barrier Switch 

3. Amorphous 

Threshold Switch 

Ovonic 

threshold switch 

4. Heterostructure 

Hot-Electron Diode 

n 

p 

I 

V 

18/39 K. Ng



S-shape 

Transit-Time 



PET 






Others 

7.Sensors 

1. IMPATT Diode 

Read diode 

2. BARITT Diode 

Punchthrough 

diode 

p+ n i n+ 

AVA 

n 

DRIFT 

p 

i·v = NEGATIVE 

V 

I 

19/39 K. Ng 

t 

t



S-shape 

Transit-Time 



PET 






Others 

7.Sensors 

1. Resistor 

2. MOS Capacitor 

3. CCD 

Si 

C 

I 

V 

LOW F 

HI F 

VG 

OUT 

20/39 K. Ng

S 

UNIPOLAR VS. BIPOLAR DEVICES 

3-TERMINAL MOSFET 

JFET 

S G D 

n + n n + 

p + 

ENHANCEMENT JFET 

–Jn 

n 

“UNIPOLAR” “BIPOLAR” 

Jp J p 

p 

BIPOLAR 

(Junction trans) 

2-TERMINAL SCHOTTKY p-n JUNCTION 

G 

D 

n + p n + 

MOSFET 

E B C 

n+ p n+ 

BIPOLAR TRANS 

(hole current is junk current) 

(Enh. JFET has forward-bias current) 

J n/J p = 10 3–10 4 J n/J p ≈ N D/N A ≈ 10 20/10 16 ≈ 10 4 

–J n 

SCHOTTKY BARRIER p-n JUNCTION 

n + 

21/39 K. Ng

(TRANSFER-RESISTOR, EQUIVALENT TO TRIODE) 

FIELD-EFFECT TRANSISTOR POTENTIAL-EFFECT TRANSISTOR 

(FET) (PET) 

CONTROL (GATE) CONTROL (BASE) 

CAPACITOR 

SOURCE DRAIN 

TRANSISTOR 

EMITTER COLLECTOR 

CHANNEL CHANNEL 

22/39 K. Ng



S-shape 

Transit-Time 



PET 






Others 

7.Sensors 

23/39 K. Ng 

1. MOSFET 

IGFET 

2. Junction FET 

(JFET) 

3. MESFET 

4. MODFET 

HEMT, 

TEGFET, SDHT 

5. Permeable-Base 

Trans 

6. Static-Induction 

Trans (SIT) 

Analog Trans, 

multi-chan FET 

7. Real-Space- 

Transfer Trans, 

NERFET, CHINT 

8. Planar-Doped FET 

9. Surface-Tunnel 

Trans 

10. Lateral Resonant- 

Tunneling FET 

11. Stark-Effect Trans 

12. Velocity- 

Modulation Trans 

2 

4 

S 

n+ 

p 

n + 

S G D n+ 

n + p+ 

n 

p+ 

S G D 

n 

n + n + 

SEMI-IN GaAs 

G 

n-AlGaAs 

D 

n+ n+ 

2-D GAS i-GaAs 

SEMI-IN GaAs 

5 

6 

1 

3 

n 

n 

p +-G 

n+ 

n + 

n + 

n+ 

S 

n 

D 

7 

9 

10 

11 

8 

S 

G 

i 

i 

D 

n+ n+ 

GATES 

S D 

12 

S i-GaAs 

n+ 

i-AlGaAs 

n+-GaAs 

n + 

E C 

n-Si 

D 

n+ 

C 

p + 

G 

S G1 D 

n + n + 

Ch-1 

Ch-2 

SEMI-IN GaAs



S-shape 

Transit-Time 



PET 






Others 

7.Sensors 

24/39 K. Ng 

1. Bipolar Transistor 

Junction transistor 

2. Tunneling HE Transfer 

Amp (THETA), 

MOMOM 

3. Metal-Base Transistor 

4. Bipolar Inv-Ch FET 

(BICFET) 

5. Tunnel-Emitter Tran 

Inver-base bipolar tran 

6. Planar-Doped-Barrier 

Transistor 

7. Heterojunction Hot- 

Electron Tran 

8. Induced-Base 

Transistor 

9. Resonant-Tunneling 

Bipolar Transistor 

10. Resonant-Tunneling 

Hot-Electron Transistor 

11. Quantum-Well-Base 

Resonant-Tunnel. Tran 

12. Spin-Valve Transistor 

4 

n 

1 

n+ 

E 

2 

5 

6 

3 

n+ 

E 

n 

B 

p 

n+ 

B 

B 

n + 

B 

C 

n+ 

n 

n 

C 

n+ 

7 

n 

E 

8 

n 

9 

n 

10 

12 

n 

11 

E 

n 

B 

p 

B 

n 

C 

C 

n 

n 

n 

n



S-shape 

Transit-Time 



PET 






Others 

7.Sensors 

1. FAMOS 

Transistor 

2. SONOS 

Transistor 

3. PCRAM 

4. FeRAM 

5. MRAM 

G 

n 

p-Si 

+ S D 

n+ 

S 

p+ 

G 

SiN 

n-Si 

D 

p + 

25/39 K. Ng



S-shape 

Transit-Time 



PET 






Others 

7.Sensors 

1. SCR, 

Thyristor 

2. Insulated-Gate Bipolar 

Transistor, 

Conductivity- 

Modulated FET 

(COMFET) 

3. Unijunction Transistor, 

Filamentary 

Transistor 

4. Static-Induction 

Thyristor 

C 

n 

p 

n 

p 

n 

p 

G 

VE 

A 

C 

G 

A 

n+ 

p p+ 

IE 

p + 

n+ 

n – 

p + 

n– 

p 

B-2 

p + 

n 

B-1 

p+ 

VBB 

I A 

IA 

I E VBB 

= 0 

V AK 

IA V G 

V AK 

VBB > 0 

VG 

V AK 

VE 

26/39 K. Ng



S-shape 

Transit-Time 



PET 






Others 

7.Sensors 

1. LED 

2. Injection Laser 

Junction laser 

p 

n 

n+ 

n + 

p+ 

N 2 

N1 

E C 

EV 

IN OUT 

27/39 K. Ng



S-shape 

Transit-Time 



PET 






Others 

7.Sensors 

28/39 K. Ng 

1. Photoconductor 

2. p-i-n Photodiode 

3. Schottky-Barrier 

Photodiode 

4. Charge-Coupled 

Image Sensor 

5. Avalanche Photodiode 

(APD) 

6. Phototransistor 

7. Metal-Semiconductor- 

Metal Photodetector 

8. Quantum-Well IR 

Photodetector (QWIP) 

9. Quantum-Dot IR 

Photodetector (QDIP) 

10. Block-Impurity-Band 

Photodetector 

11. Negative-Electron- 

Affinity (NEA) 

Photocathode 

12. Photon-Drag Detector 

3 

1 

p+ 

2 

4 

5 

E 

6 

I 

i 

B 

LIGHT 

DARK 

V 

n + 

C 

10 

11 

12 

8 

7 

9 

n-InGaAs 

SEMI-IN InP 

+ + + + + + 

DONORS 

ACCEPTORS 

V 

Evac 

qχ 

SEMICOND



S-shape 

Transit-Time 



PET 






Others 

7.Sensors 

1. Self-Electrooptic- 

Effect Device (SEED) 

2. Bistable Etalon 

Fabry-Perot 

Resonator 

p + 

IN OUT 

MQW 

Iin 

n+ 

nr = f(I) 

I = f(nrL) 

Iout 

LIGHT OUTPUT 

LIGHT OUT 

α ∝ 1/E 

29/39 K. Ng 

LIGHT INPUT 

LIGHT IN



S-shape 

Transit-Time 



PET 






Others 

7.Sensors 

1. Solar Cell 

2. Electroabsorption 

Modulator 

p-n JUNCTION 

SCHOTTKY BARRIER 

IN OUT 

MQW 

n+ 

TRANS 

J 

30/39 K. Ng 

DARK 

LIGHT 

V 

V



S-shape 

Transit-Time 



PET 






Others 

7.Sensors 

1. Thermistor 

2. Hall Plate, Hall 

Generator 

3. Strain Gauge 

4. Interdigital 

Transducer, SAW 

Transducer 

5. Ion-Sensitive FET, 

CHEMFET 

Vin 

R 

B 

V 

T 

STRAIN GAUGE 

V G 

n+ n + 

p-Si 

Ix 

SAW 

Vout 

31/39 K. Ng

MARKET SHARE (%) 

100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

WORLD-WIDE IC MARKET (1980-2000) 

BIPOLAR 

MOSFET(Si) 

III-V 

0 

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 

YEAR 

After S. M. Sze 

4% 

8% 

88% 

32/39 K. Ng

WHY Si (OVER OTHER SEMICONDUCTORS)? 

NEAR-IDEAL SEMICONDUCTOR/OXIDE INTERFACE! 

BETTER CRYSTAL QUALITY THAN COMPOUND SEMICONDUCTORS 

DISADVANTAGES 

INDIRECT ENERGY GAP => NO LIGHT SOURCE 

LESS FREEDOM IN HETEROEPITAXY 

SUBSTRATE NOT SEMI-INSULATING 

MOBILITY NOT AS HIGH 

33/39 K. Ng

10 

Sales ($Billion) 100 

DRAM 

Technology driver 

NVM (flash) 

SRAM 

1 

1990 1995 2000 

Year 

2005 2010 

Market size (arbitrary unit) 

Bipolar 

All semiconductor 

DRAM/CPU 

Nonvolatile memory 

1950 1970 1990 2010 

Year 

Floating-gate or SONOS type of MOSFETs will be dominant 

34/39 K. Ng

MAJOR DEVICE & CIRCUIT MILESTONES 

VACUUM TUBES (1904) 

BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR (1947) 

(1958) INTEG. CIRCUIT 

MOSFET (1960) 

(1963) CMOS 

(1968) DRAM 

(1971) MICROPRO 

JFET (1952) 

MESFET (1966) 

FAMOS (1967) 

MODFET (1980) 

(1826) RESISTOR 

(1938) SCHOTTKY BARRIER 

(1949) p-n JUNCTION 

(1951) LED 

(1956) SCR 

(1958) TUNNEL DIODE 

(1962) LASER 

(1963) GUNN DIODE 

(1965) IMPATT DIODE 

(1970) CCD 

(1974) RESONANT-TUNNELING DIODE 

35/39 K. Ng

METAL- 

SEMICONDUCTOR 

n p n 

DEVICE BUILDING BLOCKS–5 INTERFACES 

METALLIZATION 

BIPOLAR 

n + 

IMPLANTATION/ 

DIFFUSION 

E C 

EF 

E V 

DOPING HETEROJUNCTION 

POLY 

p-Si 

MOSFET 

n + 

EPITAXY 

OXIDATION 

SEMICONDUCTOR- 

INSULATOR 

METALLIZATION/CVD 

INSULATOR- 

METAL/POLY 

36/39 K. Ng

CURRENT-CONDUCTION MECHANISMS OF 

SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES. 

Mechanisms Examples 

Drift Resistor, most FETs 

Diffusion p-n junction, bipolar transistor 

Thermionic emission Schottky barrier, PDB diode 

Tunneling Tunnel diode, ohmic contact 

Recombination LED, p-i-n diode 

Generation Solar cell, photodetectors 

Avalanche IMPATT diode, Zener diode 

37/39 K. Ng

1. Fast intrinsic response? 

2. Fast circuit? 

V G 

“High-speed” device 

Parameters Considerations Speed fig-of-merit of FET 

Transit time Intrinsic, no capacitance gm/CG 

S-para. meas. (f T) No output capacitance, no runner g m/(C G+C ip) 

(fmax) Optimized load, no runner 

Ring oscillator Fan-out = 1, short runner gm/(CG+Cip+Cout) 

Real circuit Mult fan-outs, long runner, load capacitance g m/(C G+C ip+C out+C run+C lo) 

High intrinsic speed not sufficient (although necessary)! 

Critical parameters: gm, CG, Cdrain, etc. 

I 

Q 

C 

VL 

I I I 

Speed ≈ --- ≈ ---------- ≈ ----------- ≈ 

Q CV 

L 

CV 

G 

g 

m 

------ 

C 

38/39 K. Ng

CONCLUDING REMARKS 

• Identified ~ 77 major devices, ~ 120 variations. 

• All semiconductor devices are based on 5 building blocks. 

• Few devices dominate > 95% of market. 

• Si continues to dominate (~ 97%). 

• MOSET continues to be the workhorse of industry (~ 80%). 

• Most-common MOSFETs are in the form of floating-gate and charge-trapping 

(SONOS) nonvolatile memories (flash), not as logic devices. 

• Some confusion in device names, e.g. diode, switch, bipolar/unipolar, etc. Duplication 

of names: e.g. MODFET/HEMT/TEGFET/SDHT. 

• What has happened in the last 10 years: 

1. Many newer structures are old devices (e.g. carbon nanotube, nanowire, graphene 

FETs are MOSFETs with new channel materials). 

2. Many new devices are not necessary semiconductor devices (e.g. single-electron transsitor, 

spin devices, MIM switch...). 

3. Some are still in proposal stage (e.g. spin-based devices using spin rather than V or I 

as signal). 

39/39 K. Ng

A SURVEY OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

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