Gravitational Model of a p-n Junction

When students first encounter energy bands in semiconductors, and how the properties of simple semiconductor devices such as the p-n junction diode depend on them, the concept can be a bit difficult to grasp. As part of an undergraduate physics course for non-STEM majors that includes semiconductors...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Physics teacher 2018-11, Vol.56 (8), p.538-539
Main Author: Henrich, Victor E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
College Science
Electronic Equipment
Energy
Introductory Courses
Nonmajors
Physics
Science Instruction
Scientific Concepts
Undergraduate Students
Citations: Items that this one cites
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Summary:When students first encounter energy bands in semiconductors, and how the properties of simple semiconductor devices such as the p-n junction diode depend on them, the concept can be a bit difficult to grasp. As part of an undergraduate physics course for non-STEM majors that includes semiconductors and simple devices based on the p-n junction, a gravitational analog of the device, using an inclined plane and ball bearings (Fig. 1), has helped students understand the concept. The model has also proved useful in introductory solid-state physics and semiconductor device courses.
ISSN:0031-921X
1943-4928
DOI:10.1119/1.5064566