Gravitational Model of a p-n Junction

• Autores: Victor E. Henrich
• Localización: The Physics Teacher, ISSN 0031-921X, Vol. 56, Nº. 8, 2018, págs. 538-539
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • 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.