Electrical Engineering XYZ MCQs
What is the range of energy band gap of semiconductors:
- 10-15 eV
- 14-15 eV
- 1-3 eV
- 0 eV
Correct answer: 3. 1-3 eV
Explanation: Semiconductors are materials with energy band gaps in the range of approximately 1 to 3 electron volts (eV). This range of energy band gaps allows semiconductors to exhibit unique electrical properties that lie between those of conductors and insulators.
An energy band gap is the energy difference between the valence band (the highest energy range of electrons in their normal state) and the conduction band (the lowest range of unoccupied electron states) in a material’s energy band structure. In semiconductors, this band gap is relatively small compared to insulators (which have larger band gaps) and conductors (which have overlapping energy bands).
Options 10-15 eV and 14-15 eV are too high for typical semiconductor materials; these ranges are more characteristic of insulators. The option 0 eV would imply that there is no energy gap between the valence and conduction bands, which is characteristic of metals, not semiconductors.