Lecture 16

The pn Junction Diode (III)

Outline

• I­V Characteristics (Review)

• Small­signal equivalent circuit model
• Carrier charge storage
–Diffusion capacitance

Reading Assignment:
Howe and Sodini; Chapter 6, Sections 6.4 ­ 6.5

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16 1

 1. I­V Characteristics (Review)

Diode Current Equation:

 (
I D = I o e
VD
Vth ) −1

 

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16 2

 Physics of forward bias:

Diode Current equation:

  qVD  
I D = I o exp  −1
  kT  

• Junction potential φJ (potential drop across SCR)

reduced by |VD|
– ⇒ minority carrier injection into QNRs
• Minority carrier diffusion through QNRs
• Minority carrier recombination at contacts to the
QNRs (and surfaces)
• Large supply of carriers injected into the QNRs

 qV 

– ⇒ I D ∝ exp  D 
 kT 

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16 3

 Physics of reverse bias:
  qVD  
I D = I o exp  −1
  kT  

• Junction potential φJ (potential drop across SCR)

increased by |VD|
– ⇒ minority carrier extraction from QNRs
• Minority carrier diffusion through QNRs
• Minority carrier generation at surfaces & contacts
of QNRs
• Very small supply of carriers available for
extraction

– ⇒ ID saturates to small value

– ⇒ I D ≈ −I o

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16 4

 2. Small­signal equivalent circuit model
Examine effect of small signal overlapping bias:
  q(VD + v d )  
i D = I D + i d = I o exp  − 1
  kT  

If vd small enough, linearize exponential characteristics:

  qV   qvd  
I D + id = I o exp  D  exp   − 1
  kT   kT  
  qV   qv  
= I o exp  D  1 + d  − 1
  kT   kT  

  qV    qV  qv
= I o exp D  − 1 + I o exp D  d
  kT    kT  kT
q(I D + I o )
Then: id = • vd
kT

From a small signal point of view. Diode behaves as

conductance of value:
q ( I D + I o ) qI D
gd = ≈
kT kT
6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16 5
 Small­signal equivalent circuit model

gd

gd depends on bias. In forward bias:

qI D
gd =
kT

gd is linear in diode current.

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16 6

 Capacitance associated with depletion region:
ρ(x)

+qNd
(a) p-side −xp n-side

xn x
vD = V D

−qNa
QJ = −qNaxp

ρ(x)

+qNd
p-side −x −x n-side
(b) p p
xn x n x

vD = VD + vd > VD-->� −qNa

xp < xp,| qJ | < | QJ |
qJ = −qNaxp

qj = qNaΔxp Δρ(x) = ρ(x) − ρ(x)

+ qNd
Xd n-side
(c) p-side
xn xn
−xp −xp x

qj = qj − Qj > 0�
− qNa
= −qNaxp − (−qNaxp)� −qj = −qNd Δxn
= qNa (xp −xp) �
= qNaΔxp

Depletion or junction capacitance:

dqJ
C j = C j (VD ) =
dv D VD

qεsN a N d
Cj = A
2(N a + N d )(φ B − VD )
6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16 7
 Small­signal equivalent circuit model

gd Cj

can rewrite as:

qεsN a N d φB
Cj = A •
2(N a + N d )φ B (φ B − VD )
C jo
or, Cj =
VD
1−
φB
φB
Under Forward Bias assume VD ≈
2
C j = 2C jo

Cjo ≡ zero-voltage junction capacitance

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16 8

 3. Charge Carrier Storage:
diffusion capacitance
What happens to majority carriers?

Carrier picture thus far:

ln p, n

Na
Nd
po no

p
n
ni2
ni2 Nd
Na

0 x

If QNR minority carrier concentration ↑ but majority

carrier concentration unchanged? ⇒ quasi­neutrality is
violated.

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16 9

 excess minoriv carrier concentplation
= excess rnajoriw carrier concentration
A carrier concentrations

In n-type Si, at every x:

In p-type Si, at every x:

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16

 Quasi­neutrality demands that at every point in QNR:

excess minority carrier concentration

= excess majority carrier concentration

Mathematically:
p′n (x) = p n (x)− p no ≈ n′n (x) = n n (x) − n no

Define integrated carrier charge:

1
qPn = qA p′(xn ) • (Wn − xn )
2
Wn − xn ni2  qV 
= qA exp  D − 1 = −qNn
2 Nd  kT 
6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16 11
 Now examine small increase in VD:

n n-QNR

n(xn) -
ΔqNn=-ΔqPn
n(x)

Nd

p
p(xn) + ΔqPn

p(x)
ni2
Nd
xn x
0 Wn

Small increase in VD ⇒ small increase in qPn ⇒ small

increase in |qNn |

Behaves as capacitor of capacitance:

dq Wn − x n n i2 q  qV 
Cdn = Pn = qA exp  D 
dv D v D = VD
2 N d kT  kT 

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16 12

 Can write in terms of IDp (portion of diode current due
to holes in n­QNR):

q (Wn − x n )
2
n i2 Dp  qV 

Cdn = qA exp  D 

kT 2Dp N d Wn − x n  kT 

q (Wn − x n )
2
≈ I Dp
kT 2Dp

Define transit time of holes through n­QNR:

(Wn − x n )2
τ Tp =
2D p

Transit time is the average time for a hole to diffuse

through n­QNR [will discuss in more detail in BJT]

Then:
q
Cdn ≈ • τ Tp • I Dp
kT

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16 13

 Similarly for p­QNR:

q
Cdp ≈ • τ Tn • I Dn
kT
where τTn is transit time of electrons through p­QNR:

( )
2
Wp − x p
τ Tn =
2D n

Both capacitors sit in parallel ⇒ total diffusion capacitance:

Cd = Cdn + Cdp =
q
(τTn I Dn + τTp I Dp )
kT

Complete small­signal equivalent circuit model for diode:

gd Cj Cd

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16 14

 Bias dependence of Cj and Cd:

Cd
C Cj

0
0 V

• Cj dominates in reverse bias and small forward bias

1
∝
φ B − VD

• Cd dominates in strong forward bias

 qV 
∝ exp  D 
 kT 

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16 15

 What did we learn today?
Summary of Key Concepts

Large and Small­signal behavior of diode:

• Diode Current:
I = I o  e  kT  − 1
  qVD 

 
• Conductance: associated with current­voltage
characteristics
– gd ∝ I in forward bias,
– gd negligible in reverse bias

• Junction capacitance: associated with charge

modulation in depletion region
1
Cj ∝
φB − VD

• Diffusion capacitance: associated with charge

storage in QNRs to maintain quasi­neutrality.

 qVD 
 kT 
Cd ∝ e  

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 16 16

 MIT OpenCourseWare
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6.012 Microelectronic Devices and Circuits

Spring 2009

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