Semiconductor Physics - NEET Physics Questions
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Semiconductor Physics

Question 21: easy

Assertion (A): Conductivity of intrinsic semiconductor is less as compared to extrinsic semiconductor.


Reason (R): With increase in temperature conductivity of semiconductor increases.


 

1. Both (A) & (R) are true and the (R) is the correct explanation of the (A)
2. Both (A) & (R) are true but the (R) is not the correct explanation of the (A)
3. (A) is true but (R) is false
4. Both (A) and (R) are false
View Answer

Concept: Semiconductor conductivity.
Intrinsic semiconductors have fewer free charge carriers than extrinsic (doped) semiconductors, so (A) is true. Increasing temperature generates more carriers in semiconductors, increasing conductivity, so (R) is true. However, (R) describes temperature dependence, not the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic. Thus, (R) is not the correct explanation for (A).

Question 22: easy

Assertion (A): Avalanche breakdown dominates when the doping concentration is high and depletion layer is thin.


Reason (R): Zener breakdown occurs due to the collision of minority charge carrier.


 

1. Both (A) & (R) are true and the (R) is the correct explanation of the (A)
2. Both (A) & (R) are true but the (R) is not the correct explanation of the (A)
3. (A) is true but (R) is false
4. Both (A) and (R) are false
View Answer

Concept: \(p-n\) junction breakdown.
Avalanche breakdown occurs in lightly doped junctions with wider depletion regions. Zener breakdown occurs in heavily doped junctions due to quantum tunneling, not minority carrier collisions. Thus, both (A) and (R) are false.

Question 23: easy

Assertion (A): Semiconductors do not obey Ohm’s law.


Reason (R): Electric current is determined by the rate of flow of charge carriers.


 

1. Both (A) & (R) are true and the (R) is the correct explanation of the (A)
2. Both (A) & (R) are true but the (R) is not the correct explanation of the (A)
3. (A) is true but (R) is false
4. Both (A) and (R) are false
View Answer

Concept: Ohm's Law and current definition.
Semiconductors are non-ohmic devices, so (A) is true. Electric current is indeed the rate of flow of charge, \(I = \frac{dQ}{dt}\), so (R) is true. However, (R) is a definition of current and does not explain why semiconductors are non-ohmic. Thus, (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).

Question 24: easy

Assertion (A): The temperature coefficient of resistance is positive for metals and negative for semiconductors.


Reason (R): On raising the temperature, in metals drift velocity increases but in semiconductors more charge carriers are released.


 

1. Both (A) & (R) are true and the (R) is the correct explanation of the (A)
2. Both (A) & (R) are true but the (R) is not the correct explanation of the (A)
3. (A) is true but (R) is false
4. Both (A) and (R) are false
View Answer

Concept: Temperature dependence of resistance.
Metals have a positive temperature coefficient of resistance, while semiconductors have a negative one, so (A) is true. In metals, drift velocity *decreases* with increasing temperature due to increased scattering. In semiconductors, carrier concentration increases, so (R) is false.

Question 25: easy

Assertion (A): The temperature coefficient of resistance is positive for p-type semiconductors and negative for n-type semiconductors.


Reason (R): The effective charge carriers in p-type semiconductors are electrons and in n-type semiconductors are holes.


 

1. Both (A) & (R) are true and the (R) is the correct explanation of the (A)
2. Both (A) & (R) are true but the (R) is not the correct explanation of the (A)
3. (A) is true but (R) is false
4. Both (A) and (R) are false
View Answer

All semiconductors (p-type or n-type) have a negative temperature coefficient of resistance, so (A) is false. In p-type semiconductors, majority carriers are holes, and in n-type, they are electrons. Reason (R) swaps these, so it is also false. Thus, both (A) and (R) are false.

Question 26: easy

Assertion (A): The probability of electrons to be found in the conduction band of an intrinsic semiconductor at a finite temperature decreases exponentially with increasing band gap.


Reason (R): It is more difficult for the electrons to jump to the conduction band from the valence band if the band gap between them is large.


 

1. Both (A) & (R) are true and the (R) is the correct explanation of the (A)
2. Both (A) & (R) are true but the (R) is not the correct explanation of the (A)
3. (A) is true but (R) is false
4. Both (A) and (R) are false
View Answer

Assertion (A) is true: The probability of finding electrons in the conduction band is proportional to \(e^{-E_g / (2kT)}\), decreasing exponentially with band gap \(E_g\).


Reason (R) is true: A larger band gap means more energy is required for electrons to jump. Reason (R) correctly explains Assertion (A).

Question 27: easy

Assertion (A): The logic gate NOT can not be built using diode.


Reason (R): The output voltage and the input voltage of the diode does not have \(180^{\circ}\) phase difference.


 

1. Both (A) & (R) are true and the (R) is the correct explanation of the (A)
2. Both (A) & (R) are true but the (R) is not the correct explanation of the (A)
3. (A) is true but (R) is false
4. Both (A) and (R) are false
View Answer

Assertion (A) is true because a NOT gate requires active components to provide inversion and gain, which a passive diode cannot do. Reason (R) is true because a diode circuit does not inherently provide the \(180^{\circ}\) phase shift characteristic of logic inversion. Thus, (R) correctly explains (A).