MatE/EE 167 1

EE/MatE 167
Diode Review
MatE/EE 167 2
Topics to be covered
Energy Band Diagrams
V built-in
Ideal diode equation
Ideality Factor
RS
Breakdown
Capacitance
MatE/EE 167 3

MatE/EE 167 4
Non-equilibrium conditions in a
pn junction
Equilibrium, forward bias, reverse bias
Carrier injection
Calculating junction current
Minority and majority currents
Diode equation example
MatE/EE 167 5
Equilibrium, forward bias,
reverse bias
p n
Reverse Bias
V
r
E
Forward Bias
V = V
f
p n
E
W
p
n
E
Equilibrium
V =0
V
p
V
n
V
0
(V
o
-V
f
)
(V
o
+V
r
)
MatE/EE 167 6
Equilibrium, forward bias,
reverse bias
q(V
o
-V
f
)
q(V
o
+V
r
)
E
cp
E
cn
E
vp
E
vn
E
Fn
E
Fp
qV
o
MatE/EE 167 7
Equilibrium, forward bias,
reverse bias
Equilibrium
The Hole and electron drift and diffusion
currents cancel each other out. No net current.
Forward bias
The junction potential is lowered by an applied
electric field.
Reverse bias
The junction potential is increased by an
applied electric field.
MatE/EE 167 8
Equilibrium, forward bias,
reverse bias
Equilibrium
W does not change.
Forward bias
W is smaller substitute (V
o
-V) for V
o
in equation
for W.
Reverse bias
W is larger substitute (V
o
+V) for V
o
in equation
for W.

MatE/EE 167 9
Equilibrium, forward bias,
reverse bias
Equilibrium
E
Fp
=E
Fn
flat throughout .
Forward bias
E
Fp
(J) and E
Fn
(J) are separated by q(V
f
) (J) .
Reverse bias
E
Fp
(J) and E
Fn
(J) are separated by q(V
r
) (J) .
MatE/EE 167 10
Equilibrium, forward bias,
reverse bias
Equilibrium
No net current .
Forward bias
Diffusion current is increased because the barrier is lowered and
thus more electrons and hole have enough energy to make it
through the barrier. Electrons go from the n-side to the p-side.
Holes go from the p-side to the n-side.
Drift current: small because this depends on the concentration of
minority carriers. Thermally generated EHPs (within a diffusion
length of W, are the only carriers that contribute to drift, thus
independent of applied bias.

MatE/EE 167 11
Equilibrium, forward bias,
reverse bias
Reverse bias
Diffusion current is decreased because the barrier is higher and
thus less electrons and hole have enough energy to make it through
the barrier. Electrons go from the n-side to the p-side. Holes go
from the p-side to the n-side.
Drift current: small because this depends on the concentration of
minority carriers. Thermal generated EHPs (within a diffusion
length of W, are the only carriers that contribute to drift, thus
independent of applied bias.
MatE/EE 167 12
Equilibrium, forward bias,
reverse bias
Equilibrium: I=I(Diff)-|I(gen)=0|
Forward bias: I = I
o
(e
qV/kT
-1)
Reverse bias: I=I
o


p n
V
I
I(gen.)
I(diff.)
I
V
MatE/EE 167 13
Carrier injection
Minority carriers dominate
/kT qV
d
/kT qV
n
p
/kT qV
a
/kT qV
p
n
o o
o o
e
N
e
n
n
e
N
e
p
p
= =
= =
n n n n n
p p p p p
D L ,
q
kT
D
D L ,
q
kT
D
= =
= =
( ) 1
/

|
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
kT qV
p
n
n
n
p
p
e n
L
D
p
L
D
qA I
MatE/EE 167 14
Calculating junction current

The mobilities are for electrons in p-type
material, and holes in n-type material.
From figure 3-23 on page 99:
An electron in p-type Si material (Na=10
17
cm
-3
)
would have a mobility of 1000 cm
2
/V s
A hole in n-type Ge material (Nd=10
19
cm
-3
)
would have a mobility of around 100 cm
2
/V s
MatE/EE 167 15
Calculating junction current

Minority carrier lifetimes:
t
n
t
p
Si
1010
-6
s 1010
-6
s
Ge
1010
-7
s 1010
-7
s
GaAs
110
-9
s 110
-9
s
ZnSe
110
-9
s 110
-9
s
MatE/EE 167 16
Minority and majority currents
) ( ) (
) (
/
n p n n
L x
n
p
p
n p
x I I x I
e p
L
qAD
x I
p n
=
A =

I
0 x
n
i
) (
) (
n p
n n
x I
x I
I
p
+
n
x 0 x
n0
MatE/EE 167 17
Reverse bias breakdown
5.4 Reverse Breakdown (Streetman)
5.4.1 Zener Breakdown
5.4.2 Avalanche Breakdown
MatE/EE 167 18
Reverse bias breakdown
Under reverse bias a pn junction exhibits a small
voltage independent current until a critical voltage
is reached V
br
. If the bias voltage exceeds V
br
the
current increases dramatically.
If biased properly with a current limiting diode,
you can operate in reverse breakdown mode with
out damaging the diode.

MatE/EE 167 19
5.4 Reverse Breakdown
5.4.1 Zener Breakdown
This effect applies to heavily doped junctions (p+, n+).
This is a low voltage effect.
Barrier is thin due to high abrupt doping
When the reverse bias voltage is large enough,
electrons can tunnel to the p-side, and holes can tunnel
to the n-side (section 2.4.4)
Reverse bias of a p+/n+ junction
leads to large electric field (10
6
V/cm)
leads to covalent electrons being ripped away
MatE/EE 167 20
5.4 Reverse Breakdown
5.4.1 Zener Breakdown
E
cp
E
cn
E
vp
E
vn
E
Fn
E
Fp
qV
o
d
e
-
I
V
MatE/EE 167 21
5.4 Reverse Breakdown
5.4.2 Avalanche Breakdown
Lightly doped junctions, tunneling can not
occur
W increases with reverse bias.
Impact ionization
A carrier can be accelerated by a high electric field
with enough kinetic energy to knock an electron out
of the lattices covalent bond and make an EHP. One
carrier can cause many carriers to be created.
To design V
br
, use figure 5-22 on page 190.

MatE/EE 167 22
Reverse Breakdown
5.4.2 Avalanche Breakdown
E
W
p
n
e
-
h
+
e
-
e
-
MatE/EE 167 23
Metal Semiconductor junctions:
5.7 Metal-semiconductor junctions
5.7.1 Schottky barriers
5.7.2 Rectifying contacts
5.7.3 Ohmic contacts
5.7.4 Typical Schottky barriers
MatE/EE 167 24
Schottky barriers
Diode like behavior can be mimicked by applying
clean metal to a clean semiconductor.
Easy to do and faster switching times can be realized.
n-type
Semiconductor bands bend up causing a more positive
region near the interface, which attracts electrons from
the metal to the interface interface.
p-type
Semiconductor bands bend down causing a more
negative region near the interface, which attracts holes
from the metal to the interface.
MatE/EE 167 25
Schottky barriers
n-type
E
c
E
Fs
qu
m
qu
s
q_
Metal
Semiconductor
E
FM
E
v
u
m
> u
s
Metal
E
c
E
FM
E
v
qu
b
=q(u
m
_)
E
Fs
q(u
m
u
s
)=qV
o
W
p-type
E
c
E
Fs
qu
m
qu
s
q_
Metal
Semiconductor
E
FM
E
v
u
m
< u
s
Metal
E
c
E
FM
E
v
E
Fs
q(u
s
u
m
)=qV
o
W
MatE/EE 167 26
Rectifying contacts
Apply a forward bias to the Metal of the M/S(n)
diode and the contact potential is reduced by V
o
-V
Allows electrons to diffuse into metal.
Apply a forward bias to the Semiconductor of the
M/S(p) diode and the contact potential is reduced
by V
o
-V
Allows holes to diffuse into metal.
MatE/EE 167 27
Rectifying contacts
Apply a reverse bias to the Metal of the M/S(n)
diode and the contact potential is increased by
V
o
+V
r
.
Electrons have to overcome a voltage
independent barrier to diffuse into metal.
Apply a reverse bias to the Semiconductor of the
M/S(p) diode and the contact potential is reduced
by V
o
+V
r
.
Holes have to overcome a voltage independent
barrier to diffuse into metal.

MatE/EE 167 28
Rectifying contacts
Current flows primarily by majority carriers is
both cases.
Very little charge storage occurs, which leads to
fast switching speeds.

MatE/EE 167 29
Ohmic contacts

Metal/semiconductor ohmic contacts
linear near the origin, non-rectifying
Two methods of fabrication
Choose a metal with a workfunction that aligns the
fermi levels with majority carriers. (Al for p-type Si,
Au for n-type Si
Dope the semiconductor heavily so that W is very thin
so that tunneling occurs (Al on p
+
or n
+
Si)
Heavy doping all ways improves ohmic behavior.
MatE/EE 167 30
Ohmic contacts

p-type
E
c
E
Fs
qu
m
qu
s
q_
Metal
Semiconductor
E
FM
E
v
u
m
> u
s
Metal
E
c
E
FM
E
v
E
Fs
q(u
m
u
s
)=qV
o
W
MatE/EE 167 31
Ohmic contacts

n-type
E
c
E
Fs
qu
m
qu
s
q_
Metal
Semiconductor
E
FM
E
v
u
m
< u
s
Metal
E
c
E
FM
E
v
qu
b
=q(u
m
_)
E
Fs
q(u
s
u
m
)=qV
o
W
MatE/EE 167 32
Real Schottky barriers
In Si, there is a thin oxide in between the metal
and semiconductor.
Surface states arise from the crystal ending
This can pin the fermi level to midgap in GaAs
If a metal semiconductor junction is alloyed the
interface is blurred between metal/metal-
semiconductor/semiconductor.
Contact design is very dependant on your process.

MatE/EE 167 33
Equations
2
i o o
n p n =
p p p
n n n
D L
D L
t
t

q
kT D
=

( ) 1 e n
L
D
p
L
D
qA I
qV/nkT
p
n
n
n
p
p

|
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
2
i
d a
n
N N
ln
q
kT
Vo
( )
2
1
2
1
) (
2
2 ) (
2
(

+
=

=
+
=
(

|
|
.
|

\
| +
=
d a
d a
o o
j
d a
d a
d a
d a o
N N
N N
V V
q A
V V d
dQ
C
W
N N
N N
qA Q
N N
N N
q
V V
W
c
c
MatE/EE 167 34
Breakdown