ABSTRACT
The chapter first reviews topics in thermodynamics and statistical mechanics that form the basis for equilibrium carrier statistics. These sections develop the idea of ensembles, systems, and reservoirs. The development includes the derivation of the Boltzmann distribution using two methods. The first method uses the definition of thermal equilibrium. The second method appeals to the ensemble and maximizes the entropy by maximizing the number of states available to a system. Semiconductors require the Fermi-Dirac distribution, which can be derived using the same ensemble methods. However, the Boltzmann distribution sometimes serves as a useful approximation to the Fermi-Dirac distribution. The chapter applies the Fermi-Dirac distribution to the pn junction and derives the diode current-voltage characteristics.
