Mini Physics
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Exit to Semiconductors

Semiconductor Devices Lab

Compare doping, junction formation, diode conduction, and rectification while keeping carrier logic and circuit behaviour aligned.

  • A-Level Semiconductor Physics extension
Learning goals
  • Explain energy bands, intrinsic conduction and how temperature and light change semiconductor resistance.
  • Explain n-type and p-type doping, donor and acceptor levels and majority carriers.
  • Explain p-n junction formation and bias, and analyse diode, LED, Zener, rectifier-smoothing, sensor and transistor-switching circuits.

Interactive stageLive model

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Change one variable at a time and watch the model respond.

Lab setup

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Device checkpoint

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      Practice run

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      Try Semiconductors Quiz

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      Study lensCompare intrinsic, n-type, and p-type semiconductors using majority and minority carrier language.13 min activity

      Try this

      Treat every device claim as a carrier story: which charges can move, what blocks them, and what changes under bias?

      Learn to

      • Compare intrinsic, n-type, and p-type semiconductors using majority and minority carrier language.
      • Explain how the depletion region changes under forward and reverse bias.
      • Relate diode directional conduction to rectification and simple circuit behaviour.

      Exam transfer

      • Semiconductor devices
      • Diode circuits

      Governing idea

      Doping controls majority carriers; a p–n junction conducts strongly under forward bias and weakly under reverse bias, enabling rectification.

      Model boundary

      Band diagrams and I–V curves are qualitative and idealized. Temperature, breakdown, recombination, and device-specific voltage drops are simplified.

      Avoid this trap

      A hole is an effective positive charge carrier, not a free positive particle. Diode behavior depends on polarity and operating conditions.

      How to explore

      Connect doping, depletion regions, diode bias, and rectification so device behaviour follows from carrier logic.

      Predict the outcome, change one variable at a time, then interpret the result. Completion records participation only and does not award mastery.

      Does this count towards my progress?