Can a semiconductor with intrinsic carrier density above 10^15 cm−3 still work?

[ZeroFunGame]

TL;DR

Is there a rule of thumb that once a semiconductor's intrinsic carrier density reaches 10^15 cm^-3, that the semiconductor cannot effectively be used to perform useful operations?

Is there a rule of thumb that once a semiconductor's intrinsic carrier density reaches 10^15 cm^-3, that the semiconductor cannot effectively be used to perform useful operations?

 

[trurle]

Summary: Is there a rule of thumb that once a semiconductor's intrinsic carrier density reaches 10^15 cm^-3, that the semiconductor cannot effectively be used to perform useful operations?

Is there a rule of thumb that once a semiconductor's intrinsic carrier density reaches 10^15 cm^-3, that the semiconductor cannot effectively be used to perform useful operations?

Never heard of such rule. Germanium intrinsic concentration is 2*10^13 cm^-3, and nowadays even this value is considered too high for applications.

 

[ZeroFunGame]

Never heard of such rule. Germanium intrinsic concentration is 2*10^13 cm^-3, and nowadays even this value is considered too high for applications.

is the 2*10^13 cm^-3 number empirical? or is there a theoretical proof that could be stepped through to determine this value?

 

[trurle]

is the 2*10^13 cm^-3 number empirical? or is there a theoretical proof that could be stepped through to determine this value?

Empirical.

 

[ZeroFunGame]

link?

 

[trurle]

link?

http://www.ioffe.ru/SVA/NSM/Semicond/Ge/bandstr.html

 

[ZeroFunGame]

it's not clear where the reference discusses how the intrinsic mobility is considered too high for applications?