Question

In a p-n junction,
(a) new holes and conduction electrons are produced continuously throughout the material
(b) new holes and conduction electrons are produced continuously throughout the material except in the depletion region
(c) holes and conduction electrons recombine continuously throughout the material
(d) holes and conduction electrons recombine continuously throughout the material except in the depletion region.

Answer 1

(a) new holes and conduction electrons are produced continuously throughout the material
(d) holes and conduction electrons recombine continuously throughout the material except in the depletion region

In a p‒n junction diode, diffusion current flows because of the diffusion of holes from the p side to the n side and of electrons from the n side to the p side. The current flowing in the diode due to the diffusion of charge carriers across the junction is called the diffusion current. The current flowing in the diode due to the movement of minority carriers across the junction due to their thermal energy is called the drift current. In an unbiased diode, the net current flowing across the junction is zero due to the cancellation of the drift current by the diffusion current. For the flow of diffusion and drift currents, holes and electrons are produced continuously throughout the material. When a hole crosses the junction, it combines with an electron on the n side. As the depletion region is devoid of free charge carriers, this recombination never takes place inside the depletion region.