ELCT 566 – Semiconductor Optoelectronics, Prof. Asif Khan: asif@cec.sc.

edu
Office Hours: Anytime by appointment:
T-A: Mr. Hung-Chi Chen (Rex): chen48@email.sc.edu
Lectures List
Lecture 1: Introduction to Semiconductors
Lecture 2: Intrinsic Semiconductors and Carrier Transport
Lecture 3: Doped Semiconductors and Carrier Transport
Lecture 4: Band-structure and Generation-Recombination
Lecture 4A:Band-structure and Generation-Recombination contd.
Lecture 5: Light Absorption
Light Light
Lecture 5A:Light Absorption Contd. Source Detector
Lecture 6: pn-junction Introduction
Lecture 6A:pn-junction Continued
Lecture 7: pn-junction forward bias
Lecture 7A:pn-junction forward bias contd.
Lecture 8: LED principles.
Lecture 9: LED Efficiency and Spectra
Lecture 10: Heterostructure LEDs
Lecture 11: Semiconductor Laser Fundamentals
Lecture 12: Lasers Contd.
Lecture 13: Lasers Contd. 1. Light Emitting Diode 1. Fibers 1. Sensors
Lecture 14: Photodetectors Introduction 2. Lasers 2. Free Space 2. Detectors
Lecture 15: Junction Photodetectors
Lecture 16: pn-pin Detectors
Lecture 17: Schottky Photodiodes
Lecture 18: Solar Cells
Lecture 19: Optical Communications (Fibers and Modulators)
 ELCT563 Syllabus

Text book
Topic
reference*
1. Introduction to semiconductors 363, 563, PHYS
2. Optical Processes in Semiconductors Ch. 3
3. pn-junctions, Schottky and Ohmic contacts Ch. 4
4. Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) Ch. 5
5. Introduction to Lasers Chs. 6,7
6. Photodetectors Ch. 8,9
7. Solar Cells Ch. 10

* Additional course material will be used and will appear in the class notes.
 Drift and Diffusion Current
F ( x)

dn diffusion
J n , diff .  (q ) Dn

Concentration
:Electron diffusion current

Electron-Hole
dx
dp
Jp,diff
J p , diff .  qD p :Hole diffusion current
dx Jn,diff
 cm 2 
Dn and D p are the electron and hole diffusion constants   Jp,drift
 sec 
Jn,drift

x
J n ,drift ( x)  qn n( x) F ( x) : Electron drift current
J p ,drift ( x)  qn p( x) F ( x) :Hole drift current

dn
J n ,total ( x)  q n n( x) F ( x)  qDn :Electron current
dx
dp
J p ,total ( x)  qn p ( x) F ( x)  qDp :Hole current
dx
 Energy band diagrams in Electric Field (F)(semiconductors)
F
V
E

EFi ( x)
B A
EC
L

dV ( x) d  EFi  EFi (0)

F ( x)    qV
dx dx  (q) 
1 dE EV
F ( x) =  Fi
q dx 
x
Energy band diagrams in Electric Field (F)(semiconductors)

F ( x) F ( x)
V
E

Concentration
Electron-Hole
diffusion
Jp,diff EFi ( x)
F Jn,diff EC

Jp,drift EFi (0)

Jn,drift
qV
B A EV


L x x

1 dE
J n ,total ( x)  q n n( x) F ( x)  qDn
dn
:Electron current F ( x) =  Fi
dx q dx
dp dV
J p ,total ( x)  qn p ( x) F ( x)  qDp :Hole current F ( x) =
dx dx
 Energy band diagrams in Electric Field (F)(semiconductors)

F ( x) F ( x)
V
E

Concentration
Electron-Hole
diffusion
F Jp,diff
EFi ( x)
Jn,diff EC

Jp,drift
EFi (0)
B A Jn,drift qV
EV
L 
x
In  equilibrium : ( EFn  EFi ) x
dn nn 0  ni 0  e k BT

J n ,total ( x)  q n n( x) F ( x)  qDn =0 dEFn

dx ( EFi  EFp )
0 F ( x)
1 dE
=  Fi
dp p p 0  pi 0  e k BT
dx q dx
J p ,total ( x)  q  n p ( x) F ( x)  qD p =0
dx
(E E )
dn dnn 0 ( x ) Fn Fi
dEFn dEFi 1
n n( x) F ( x)   Dn  ni 0  e k BT
(  )
dx
dx dx dx kT
dnn 0 n ( x) dEFn dEFi
 n0 (  )
dx k BT dx dx
Dn k BT
 dnn 0 n ( x)
 n0 
dEFi n ( x)
 n0  q  F ( x)
n q dx k BT dx k BT
Band diagrams and built-in voltage
of the p-n junction
 Injection followed by Diffusion and recombination

 cm 2 
Dn and D p are the electron and hole diffusion constants  
 sec 
D kT
 This is Einsteins Re lation :
 q
Also  Diffusion  Length : Lp  D p p : and : Ln  Dn n

p p 0  N Acm3 nn 0  N D cm3
p n

B- As++
As
h+
e- (a)
e–

M
Metallurgical Junction
0 x

x
Eo 
x E (x)
Neutral p-region
n(at x)  n(at x  0)  e L n Neutral n-region
p(at x)  p(at x  0)  e
L p

(b)
 Injection followed by Diffusion and recombination
 cm 2 
Dn and D p are the electron and hole diffusion constants  
 sec 
D kT
 This is Einsteins Re lation :
 q
Also  Diffusion  Length : Lp  D p p : and : Ln  Dn n

p p 0  N Acm3 nn 0  N D cm3
p n
A  Area

B- As++
As
h+
e- (a)
e–
E

Wp M Wn
Metallurgical Junction
E
0o x E (x)
Neutral p-region Neutral n-region
N A  A Wp =N D  A Wn
N A Wp =N D Wn
(b)
–E
 Injection followed by Diffusion and recombination
 cm 2 
Dn and D p are the electron and hole diffusion constants  
 sec 
D kT
 This is Einsteins Re lation :
 q
Also  Diffusion  Length : Lp  D p p : and : Ln  Dn n

p p 0  N Acm3 nn 0  N D cm3
p n
A  Area

B- As++
As
h+
e- (a)
e–
E

Wp M Wn
Metallurgical Junction
E
0o x E (x)
Neutral p-region Neutral n-region
N A  A Wp =N D  A Wn
N A Wp =N D Wn
(b)
–E
 Semiconductor Energy Bands and Fermi Energy
intrinsic p-type n-type nn 0  N D cm3

conduction band

EC EC EC
EFn
 n  q n  E Fn  E Fi
EFi EFi
 p  q p  E Fi  E Fp
EV EFp EV
EV

valence band p p 0  N Acm3

EG ( EFn  EFi )
 ( EFi  EFp )
n  NC  NV  e
2
i0
k BT
p p 0  pi 0  e kT nn 0  ni 0  e kT

ni 0  pi 0 ( p ) (n )

 pi 0  e kT  ni 0  e kT
EF  ( EC  EV ) / 2  EG / 2
p p0 np0 nn 0 pn 0

EFp  EV
EFn  EC

Fermi Energy EF is an average energy of all the free carriers in a sample.

In equilibrium, the Fermi Energy MUST be uniform over the semiconductor sample.
 Semiconductor Energy Bands and Fermi Energy
1. Isolated Semiconductors n-type and p-type.
p-type n-type
nn 0  N D cm3

EC
EC EFn
 n  q n  E Fn  E Fi

 p  q p  E Fi  E Fp EFi
EV EFp EV

p p 0  N Acm3

2. Bits joined together: not in equilibrium yet! EFn(n-side) ≠ EFp(p-side)

p-type n-type
nn 0  N D cm3

EC EC
 n  q n  E Fn  E Fi
EFn
 p  q p  E Fi  E Fp
EFi
EFp
EV EV

p p 0  N Acm3
 3. Junction coming to the equilibrium by balancing the Fermi level

p-type n-type
EC E (field)
EG EF qVbi
EFi
 p  q p  E Fi  E Fp EC
EFp EFn
EV  n  q n  E Fn  E Fi
EFi
EG
EV
Wp Wn

0 x
qVbi=|qFn| +|qFp|
The balance is achieved by electrons diffusing into a p-side
(bringing an extra negative charge in there) and by the holes diffusing
into an n-side (bringing an extra positive charge in there)
 p-type n-type

EC
E (field)
EG EF qV
EFi bi
 p  q p  E Fi  E Fp EC
EFp EFn
EV  n  q n  E Fn  E Fi
EFi
EG
Wp Wn
EV

( EFi  EFp ) 0 ( EFn  EFi )

x
p p 0  pi 0  e kT nn 0  ni 0  e kT

( p ) (n )

 pi 0  e kT  ni 0  e kT

(  n  p ) q (Vbi )
nn 0  p p 0  ni 0  pi 0  e kT
 ni 0  pi 0  e kT

q (Vbi )
N A  N D  ni 0  e 2 kT

 N N  q (Vbi ) kT  N A  N D 
ln  A 2 D   (Vbi )  ln  2 
 ni 0  kT q  ni0 

• kT/q is the thermal voltage; 26 mV at RT

 Built-in voltage summary:
pn-junction in equilibrium: Vapp=0

EC p-type n-type
Eg E (field)  n  q n  E Fn  E Fi
EFi
qVbi
qFp EC
EFp EFn
EV qFn
EFi
 p  q p  E Fi  E Fp Eg
EV
Wp Wn
0 x

k T N N  k B T  nn0  k T  p p0 
Vbi  B ln  D 2 A  Vbi  Vbi  B ln  
pn0 
ln
 n p0  q 
q  ni  q  

( qVbi ) ( qVbi )
 
n po  nno e kT
pno  p po e kT
 Example
Find the built-in voltage for a Si p-n junction with
NA = 1015 cm-3 and ND = 1017 cm-3
Assume ni = 1010 cm-3;

kB T  N D N A 
Vbi  ln  2 
q  ni 
Important values to remember!
At room temperature, T  300 K,
kBT  0.026 eV, (kBT/q) = 0.026 V

Answer:
Vbi = 0.718 V
 Voltage Across the Junction
p-type n-type
 n  q n  E Fn  E Fi

EC
E (field)
EG EF
qVbi
EFi
p EC
EFp EFn
EV n
EFi
EG
EV
Wp Wn
 p  q p  E Fi  E Fp

Vp 0 x
Vp< 0 Reverse Vn=0
Vp> 0 Forward
Applied E-Field
 The experimental I-V characteristic of a Si diode

  qV  
I  I S exp    1
  k BT  

p n

IS is a saturation current. Typically, IS is very small: IS ≈ 10-17 …10-11 A

When the voltage V is negative (“reverse” polarity) the exponential term ≈ -1;
The diode current is ≈ IS ( very small).

When the voltage V is positive (“forward” polarity) the exponential term increases rapidly
with V and the current is high.
 Reverse Bias pn-junction

p-type n-type
EC
Eg qVbi -Vf
+Vf EC
EFi
qFp EFn
EFp Vf
qFn 0
EFi
EV Eg
EV
p-type n-type
EC
Eg qVbi +Vrev
-Vf EFi
qFp
EFp

EV Vrev EC
EFn
qFn 0
EFi
Eg

-Wp Wn EV
19
 Steady state current flow in semiconductor

-
+ - -
+V + - -0
-
+ +
- -
+


Qp Qn 
I 
p n

20
 Voltage Across the Junction

p-type n-type
EC
Eg qVbi -Vf
+Vf EC
EFi
qFp EFn
EFp Vf
qFn 0
EFi
EV Eg
EV

( qVbi ) ( qVbi )
 
n po  nno e kT
pno  p po e kT

q (Vbi ) q (Vbi )
 
n p 0  nn 0  e kT
pn 0  p p 0  e kT

q (Vbi V f ) q (Vbi V f )
 
n p  nn 0  e kT
pn  p p 0  e kT

q (V f ) q (V f )
np  np0  e kT
pn  pn 0  e kT
 Injected carrier spatial distribution (2)

p-type n-type
EC
Eg qVbi -Vf
+Vf EC
EFi
qFp EFn
EFp Vf
qFn 0
EFi
EV Eg
EV

Excess carriers :pn  Injected  original  pn  pn 0

Excess carriers :n p  Injected  original  n p  n p 0
Also  Diffusion  Length : Lp  Dp p : and : Ln  Dn n

The injected carriers diffuse

into n- and p-portions of the junctions and
RECOMBINE along with DIFFUSION; 22
 Injected carrier spatial distribution
p-type n-type
EC
Eg qVbi -Vf
+Vf EC
EFi
qFp EFn The injected carriers DIFFUSE
EFp Vf
qFn 0 and RECOMBINE along with
EFi
EV Eg diffusion. In steady state:
EV

p po
( qV )
nno
n p (at x  Wp 0 )  n po e kT
( qV )

pn (at x  Wn 0 )  pno e kT

pn (0 )  pn (0 )  pno

pno qV qV
n po =pno e kT
 pno  pno (e kT
 1)

qV qV

n p (0 )  n po e kT
 n po  n po (e kT
 1)
x -Wp 0 Wn x

Also  Diffusion  Length : Lp  Dp p : and : Ln  Dn n 23

 Injected carrier spatial distribution
p-type n-type
EC

+Vf EFi
Eg qVbi -Vf
EC L D
qFp EFn
Vf
pn ( x)  pn (0) e x / L
EFp qFn
EFi
0
EV Eg
EV
( x Wn )/ L p
pn ( x )  pn (0 ) e
p po
nno ( qV )
( x Wn )/ L p

( qV )  pno ( e kT  1)e
n p (at x  Wp 0 )  n po e kT
( qV )

pn (at x  Wn 0 )  pno e kT

pno
( x W p )/ Ln
n po n p ( x )  n p (0 ) e
( qV )
( x W p )/ Ln
x -Wp 0 Wn x  n po (e kT  1)e

24
 Injected charge
( qV )
( x Wn )/ L p
pn ( x)  pno  (e kT  1)  e
p-type n-type
EC Total Injected (Excessive) Hole Charge
Eg qVbi -Vf
EC 
+Vf
Q p (n  side)  q  A   p
EFi
EFp
qFp Vf
EFn
n ( x) dx
qFn 0
EFi xn
EV Eg
 ( qV )
 q  A    1) e  ( x  xn )/ Lp dx
EV kT
pno (e
xn
p po
nno ( qV )

n p (at x  Wp 0 )  n po e
( qV )
kT
Qp (n  side)  q  A  pno (e kT
 1)  Lp
( qV )
pn (at x  Wn 0 )  pno e kT

( qV )
( x W p )/ Ln
pno n p ( x )  n po  e kT e
n po
Total Injected (Excessive) Electron Charge


x -Wp 0 Wn x Qn ( p  side)  q  A   n ( x) dx

xp
p

 ( qV )


 ( x  xp )/ Ln
 q  A  npo(e kT
 1) e dx
xp

( qV )
25
Qn ( p  side)  q  A  npo(e kT
 1)  Ln
 Injected charge

( qV )
Qp (n  side)  q  A  pno(e kT
 1)  Lp
p-type n-type
EC
Eg qVbi -Vf
+Vf EC
EFi ( qV )
qFp EFn
EFp Vf
qFn
EFi
0 Qn ( p  side)  q  A  npo(e kT
 1)  Ln
EV Eg
EV
The charges
p po
nno
( qV ) Qp (n  side) and Qn ( p  side)
n p (at x  Wp 0 )  n po e kT
( qV )
pn (at x  Wn 0 )  pno e kT
dissolve (recombine) at the rate of
pno Qp Qn
n po and
p n
x -Wp 0 Wn x The current supplied from the contacts
to compensate the recombination:

Qp Qn
I 
p n
26
 Recombination current of the forward biased p-n junction
The current supplied from the contacts to compensate the recombination:
Qp Qn
I 
p n
p-type n-type
EC

+Vf EFi
Eg qVbi -Vf

EFn
EC L D 
qFp Vf
EFp qFn
EFi
0
EV Eg
EV ( qV )

p po
Qp (n  side)  q  A  pno (e kT
 1)  Lp
nno
( qV )
n p (at x  Wp 0 )  n po e kT
( qV )
pn (at x  Wn 0 )  pno e kT ( qV )
Qn ( p  side)  q  A  n p 0 (e kT
 1)  Ln
pno
n po
I  Q p (n  side) /  p  Qn ( p  side) /  n
x -Wp 0 Wn x ( qV ) ( qV )
Lp Ln
 q  A  pno (e kT
 1)   q  A  n po (e kT
 1) 
p n
( qV )
 Lp L 
=q  A  (e kT
 1)  pno   n po  n 
 p  n 
( qV )
 Dp D 
 q  A  (e kT
 1)  pno   n po  n 
 Lp Ln 
 P-n junction current – voltage characteristic (I-V)
  qV  
I  I S exp    1
  kT  

 Dp Dn 
I S  q  A   pno   n po  
 Lp Ln 

Forward current
Diffusion current

Reverse current
Generation-Recombination current