Electrical Properties of Silicon in UHV: Two Experiments for Undergraduates

Two instructional experiments related to the temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity and to the thermionic emission properties of single crystal silicon have been performed in ultra-high vacuum. The measurements are straightforward, using standard electronic components, and can be successfully completed by senior electrical engineering students in one semester. The experiments form a good introduction for undergraduate students who expect to do further work in areas related to semiconductors and/or ultra-high vacuum.