All Exams Test series for 1 year @ ₹349 only
Question

The most common kind of area defect found in silicon is the ________ and it always occur along ________ plane.

This question was previously asked in
UGC NET 2023 Electronic Science Question Paper (13-Dec-2023) (Shift 1)
The correct answer is

Stacking fault, 111

 The question asks for an area defect, and in silicon that is the stacking fault, which lies on the {111} planes — option 1.

Crystal defects are classified by dimension, and knowing the ladder fixes the answer immediately:

DimensionNameExamples in silicon
0-D, pointPoint defectVacancy, interstitial, substitutional impurity
1-D, lineLine defectEdge and screw dislocations
2-D, areaArea defectStacking fault, grain boundary, twin
3-D, volumeVolume defectPrecipitates, voids

What a stacking fault is. Silicon has the diamond cubic structure, which can be described as {111} planes stacked in the repeating sequence

\(\ldots ABCABCABC\ldots\)

A stacking fault is a local break in that sequence — a plane inserted or removed, giving for instance \(\ldots ABCA\underline{C}ABC\ldots\). Because the fault is a misplaced plane, it necessarily occupies a plane, which is what makes it two-dimensional.

Why the {111} plane and no other. The {111} planes are the most densely packed in the diamond lattice, so they have the lowest surface energy per unit area and the widest spacing between adjacent planes. Both facts mean it costs least energy to disturb the stacking there, so faults form on {111} in preference to {100} or {110}. The same close packing is why silicon cleaves along {111} and why anisotropic etchants such as KOH attack {111} most slowly.

Why the "extrinsic" options are traps. Intrinsic and extrinsic are the two kinds of stacking fault — extrinsic means an extra plane inserted, intrinsic means one removed. "Extrinsic fault" is therefore a description of a stacking fault, not a separate defect, and options 2 and 4 give the qualifier without the name.

Why it matters in fabrication. Oxidation-induced stacking faults grow during thermal oxidation from surface damage or contamination, and being electrically active they act as generation-recombination centres — raising junction leakage and degrading the refresh time of DRAM cells. Controlling them is one of the reasons wafer surfaces are cleaned so scrupulously before high-temperature steps.

Hence, the answer is stacking fault, along the 111 plane.

Was this answer helpful?

Similar Questions

  1. Atomic numbers for the following semiconducting and doping materials like Ga, In, As, Sb are respectively :

    A. 33

    B. 49

    C. 31

    D. 51

    Choose the correct answer from the options given below :

  2. Arrange the following materials in ascending order based on their mobility of electrons at 300 K :

    (a) Germanium   (b) Silicon   (c) Gallium Arsenide    (d) Gallium Nitride

    Codes :

  3. Energy bands of a material is decided by :

    (a) The atomic number
    (b) Relative spacing of atoms in the solids
    (c) Melting point of the material
    (d) Hardness of the material

    Which of the following is correct ?

  4. Arrange the following materials with respect to their relative dielectric constants in descending orders :

    (A) Ge
    (B) C
    (C) CdS
    (D) TiO2

    Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below :


Important Questions from Semiconductor Materials

  1. Match the LIST-I with LIST-II
    LIST-ILIST-II
    A. BJTI. Five layers and four junction device
    B. MOSFETII. Power switching device with fast acting features and high power capability with voltage control features
    C. IGBTIII. Voltage controlled device
    D. DIACIV. Current controlled device
    Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
  2. A silicon solar cell has a short-circuit current of 100mA and an open circuit voltage of 0.8V under full solar illumination. The fill factor is given as 0.7, what is the maximum power delivered to a load by the cell?
  3. The common drain circuit has a FET with $Y_{fs}$=3000 µS, $R_{gs}$=100 MΩ and $r_d$=50 KΩ. Determine the device input impedance.

  4. A solar cell consists of 400 cells with 40 elements series connected while 10 elements are parallely connected. If each cell can produce an output voltage and current of $V_o$=0.45 V and $I_o$=57 mA, the maximum charging voltage required is
  5. Given below are the two statements
    I. Graphene in its purest and defect free form has electrical conductivity lesser than that of Gold and Copper
    II. It is possible to develop graphene in the form of nano-ribbons and quantum dots
    Choose the correct option from the list given below.
Need Expert Advice?
Upcoming Exams
CTET
December 12, 2026
CBSE UGC NET
December 14, 2026
CSIR UGC NET
December 19, 2026
Test Series
UGC NET img
Teaching
UGC NET (Paper 2) 2026 Mock Test Series
796 Tests 2 Tests Free
4.4(40)
English
More Questions from UGC NET

Start Your Preparation with Prepp Mobile App

Download the app from Google Play & App Store
Download the app from Google Play & App Store
Prepp Mobile App