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Fermi level with 10¹⁰ Sb then 2×10¹⁵ B

Short answer

With 10^10 cm⁻³ Sb (Nd < ni), solving n = (Nd/2)+√[(Nd/2)²+ni²] gives n≈2.03×10^10 cm⁻³, so EF − Ei = 0.0087 eV. After adding 2×10^15 cm⁻³ B, net p ≈ 2×10^15 cm⁻³ (p-type), and Ei − EF = 0.306 eV.

An n-type silicon wafer is uniformly doped with 10¹⁰ antimony atoms per cm³. Where will be the Fermi level compared to its intrinsic Fermi level? Where will the Fermi level be shifted if the sample is further doped with 2×10¹⁵ boron atoms per cm³?

Take T=300T = 300 K, kT=0.02586kT = 0.02586 eV and ni=1.45×1010n_i = 1.45\times10^{10} cm⁻³ for Si. Fermi level positions are measured from the intrinsic Fermi level EFiE_{Fi}.

Part 1: Only Nd=1010N_d = 10^{10} cm⁻³ antimony

Here NdN_d is smaller than nin_i, so we cannot use n≈Ndn \approx N_d. Use charge neutrality n=Nd+pn = N_d + p with np=ni2np = n_i^2:

n2−Ndn−ni2=0n=Nd2+(Nd2)2+ni2=0.5×1010+(0.5×1010)2+(1.45×1010)2=2.03×1010 cm−3\begin{aligned} n^2 - N_d n - n_i^2 &= 0 \\ n &= \frac{N_d}{2} + \sqrt{\left(\frac{N_d}{2}\right)^2 + n_i^2} \\ &= 0.5\times10^{10} + \sqrt{(0.5\times10^{10})^2 + (1.45\times10^{10})^2} \\ &= 2.03\times10^{10}\ \text{cm}^{-3} \end{aligned}

Since n=niexp⁡[(EF−EFi)/kT]n = n_i \exp[(E_F - E_{Fi})/kT]:

EF−EFi=kTln⁡nni=0.02586ln⁡2.03×10101.45×1010=0.0087 eVE_F - E_{Fi} = kT\ln\frac{n}{n_i} = 0.02586\ln\frac{2.03\times10^{10}}{1.45\times10^{10}} = 0.0087\ \text{eV}

The Fermi level is only about 8.7 meV above EFiE_{Fi}; such light doping makes the wafer almost intrinsic.

Part 2: Further doping with Na=2×1015N_a = 2\times10^{15} cm⁻³ boron

Now Na>NdN_a > N_d, so the sample becomes p-type (compensated). Net acceptor concentration:

Na−Nd=2×1015−1010≈2×1015 cm−3≫niN_a - N_d = 2\times10^{15} - 10^{10} \approx 2\times10^{15}\ \text{cm}^{-3} \gg n_i

So p≈2×1015p \approx 2\times10^{15} cm⁻³ and n=ni2/p≈1.05×105n = n_i^2/p \approx 1.05\times10^{5} cm⁻³.

EFi−EF=kTln⁡pni=0.02586ln⁡2×10151.45×1010=0.02586×11.83=0.306 eV\begin{aligned} E_{Fi} - E_F &= kT\ln\frac{p}{n_i} = 0.02586 \ln\frac{2\times10^{15}}{1.45\times10^{10}} \\ &= 0.02586 \times 11.83 = 0.306\ \text{eV} \end{aligned}
 Ec ---------------------------
     EF (part 1) 0.0087 eV above Ei
 Ei - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
                 | 0.306 eV
 EF (part 2) ----+-------------
 Ev ---------------------------

Answer: With 101010^{10} cm⁻³ Sb, EFE_F is 0.0087 eV (8.7 meV) above EFiE_{Fi}. After adding 2×10152\times10^{15} cm⁻³ B, the sample is p-type and EFE_F shifts to 0.306 eV below EFiE_{Fi}, a total shift of about 0.315 eV.

Note: if the textbook version of this problem (101610^{16} Sb, then 2×10172\times10^{17} B) is intended, the same method gives EF−EFi=0.348E_F - E_{Fi} = 0.348 eV, then EFi−EF=0.424E_{Fi} - E_F = 0.424 eV.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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