Exercises Problems Answers Chapter 7

Problem 7.8 (a) Consider a uniformly doped silicon pn junction at T = 300 K. At zero bias, 25 percent of the total
space charge region is in the n-region. The built-in potential barrier is Vbi = 0.710 V. Determine (i) Na, (ii) Nd, (iii)
xn, (iv) xp, and (v) | Emax|.

Problem 7.9 Consider the impurity doping profile shown in Figure P7.9 in a silicon pn junction. For zero applied
voltage, (a) determine Vbi, (b) calculate xn and xp, (c) sketch the thermal equilibrium energy-band diagram, and (d)
plot the electric field versus distance through the junction.

Problem 7.10 Consider a uniformly doped silicon pn junction with doping concentrations Na = 2 X1017 cm-3
and Nd = 4 X 1016 cm-3. (a) Determine Vbi at T = 300 K. (b) Determine the temperature at which Vbi increases
by 2 percent. (Trial and error may have to be used.)

Problem 7.12 An “isotype” step junction is one in which the same impurity type doping changes from one
concentration value to another value. An n-n isotype doping profile is shown in Figure P7.12. (a) Sketch the thermal
equilibrium energy-band diagram of the isotype junction. (b) Using the energy-band diagram, determine the built-in
potential barrier. (c) Discuss the charge distribution through the junction.

Problem 7.13 A particular type of junction is an n region adjacent to an intrinsic region. This junction can be
modeled as an n-type region to a lightly doped p-type region. Assume the doping concentrations in silicon at T =
300 K are Nd = 1016 cm-3 and Na =1012 cm-3. For zero applied bias, determine (a) Vbi, (b) xn, (c) xp, and
(d) |Emax|. Sketch the electric field versus distance through the junction.
Problem 7.19 A silicon n+p junction is biased at VR = 5 V. (a) Determine the change in built-in potential barrier if
the doping concentration in the p region increases by a factor of 3. (b) Determine the ratio of junction capacitance
when the acceptor doping is 3Na compared to that when the acceptor doping is Na. (c) Why does the junction
capacitance increase when the doping concentration increases?

Problem 7.27 (a) A GaAs pn junction at T = 300 K, with a cross-sectional area of 10-4 cm2, is to be designed that
meets the following specifications. At a reverse-biased voltage of VR = 2 V, 20 percent of the total space charge width
is to be in the p region and the total junction capacitance is to be 0.6 pF. Determine Na, Nd, and W. (b) Repeat part (a) if
VR = 5 V.

Problem 7.33 1 A pn junction has the doping profile shown in Figure P7.33. Assume that xn > x0
for all reverse-biased voltages. (a) What is the built-in potential across the junction?
(b) For the abrupt junction approximation, sketch the charge density through the junction. (c) Derive
the expression for the electric field through the space charge region.

1
This problem is more difficult than average
Exercise Solutions
Problem 7.8 (a)

(
x n = 0.25W = 0.25 x n + x p )
xp
0.75 x n = 0.25 x p ⇒ =3
xn

Nd xp
xn N d = x p N a ⇒ = =3
Na xn

So N d = 3N a

 Na Nd 
(a) Vbi = (0.0259) ln  
(
 1.5 × 1010 )
2

 3 N a2 
0.710 = (0.0259 ) ln  
(
 1.5 × 1010 )
2


or 3N a2 = (1.5 × 1010 ) exp

2  0.710 

 0.0259 

which yields N a = 7.766 × 1015 cm −3

N d = 2.33 × 1016 cm −3

1/ 2
 2 ∈ V  Na  1 
x n =  s bi   
 e N  N + N 
 d  a d 

(
 2(11.7 ) 8.85 × 10 −14 (0.710 )
=
)
 1.6 × 10 −19

1/ 2
 1  1  
×  
 
3 4 7 .766 (
× 1015 ) 
 

⇒ x n = 9.93 × 10 −6 cm

or x n = 0.0993 µ m

(
 2(11.7 ) 8.85 × 10 −14 (0.710 )
xp = 
)
 1.6 × 10 −19
 1/ 2
 3  1  
×  
(
 1   4 7.766 × 10
15
) 
 

= 2.979 × 10 −5 cm

or x p = 0.2979 µ m

Now

eN d x n
Ε max =
∈s

=
(1.6 ×10 )(2.33 ×10 )(0.0993 ×10 )
−19 16 −4

(11.7 )(8.85 ×10 ) −14

= 3.58 × 10 4 V/cm

Problem 7.9

(a) Vbi = (0.0259) ln 

( )( )
 1016 1015 

( )
 1.5 × 1010 
2

or

Vbi = 0.635 V

(b)
1/ 2
 2 ∈ V  Na  1 
x n =  s bi   
 e   N + N 
 Nd  a d 

( )
 2(11.7 ) 8.85 × 10 −14 (0.6350 )
=
 1.6 × 10 −19

1/ 2
 1016 
 16
1 
×  15  10 + 1015 
 10  

or

x n = 0.8644 × 10 −4 cm = 0.8644 µ m

Now
 1/ 2
 2 ∈ V  Nd  1 
x p =  s bi   
 e N  N + N 
 a  a d 

(
 2(11.7 ) 8.85 × 10 −14 (0.6350 )
=
)
 1.6 × 10 −19

1/ 2
 1015 
 16
1 
×  16  10 + 1015 
 10  

or

x p = 0.08644 × 10 −4 cm = 0.08644 µ m

(c)

eN d x n
Ε max =
∈s

=
(1.6 ×10 )(10 )(0.8644 ×10 )
−19 15 −4

(11.7 )(8.85 ×10 ) −14

or

Ε max = 1.34 × 10 4 V/cm

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Problem 7.10

(a) Vbi = (0.0259) ln 

(
 2 × 1017 4 × 1016 

)( )
(
 1.5 × 10
10 2
 )
= 0.80813 V

(b) Vbi increases as temperature decreases

At T = 300 K, we can write

(
n i2 = 1.5 × 1010 )
2

( )(  − 1.12 
= K 2.8 × 1019 1.04 × 1019 exp  )
 0.0259 

⇒ K = 4.659
 At T = 287 K, kT = 0.024778 eV

( )( )
3
 287 
n i2 = K 2.8 × 1019 1.04 × 1019  
 300 

 − 1.12 
× exp 
 0.024778 

( )(
= (4.659 ) 2.5496 × 10 38 2.3404 × 10 −20 )
So n i2 = 2.780 × 1019

Then

( )(
 2 × 1017 4 × 1016 
Vbi = (0.024778) ln 
)

 2.780 × 10
19


= 0.82494 V

We find

Vbi (287 ) − Vbi (300 )

× 100%
Vbi (300 )

0.82494 − 0.80813
= × 100% = 2.08%
0.80813

≅ 2%

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Problem 7.12

(b) For N d = 1016 cm −3 ,

N 
E F − E Fi = kT ln d 

 ni 

 1016 
= (0.0259 ) ln 

 1.5 × 10
10


or

E F − E Fi = 0.3473 eV
 For N d = 1015 cm −3

 1015 
E F − E Fi = (0.0259 ) ln 

 1.5 × 10
10


or

E F − E Fi = 0.2877 eV

Then

Vbi = 0.34732 − 0.28768

or

Vbi = 0.0596 V

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Problem 7.13

 N Nd 
(a) Vbi = Vt ln a 2 

 ni 

= (0.0259 ) ln 
( )( )
 1012 1016 

( )
 1.5 × 1010 
2

or

Vbi = 0.456 V

(b)

( )
 2(11.7 ) 8.85 × 10 −14 (0.456 )
xn = 
 1.6 × 10 −19

1/ 2
 1012 
 12
1 
×  16  10 + 1016 
 10  

or

x n = 2.43 × 10 −7 cm

(c)
 ( )
 2(11.7 ) 8.85 × 10 −14 (0.456 )
xp = 
 1.6 × 10 −19

1/ 2
 1016  1 
×  12 
 1012 + 1016 
 10  

or

x p = 2.43 × 10 −3 cm

(d)

eN d x n
Ε max =
∈s

=
(1.6 ×10 )(10 )(2.43 ×10 )
−19 16 −7

(11.7 )(8.85 ×10 ) −14

or

Ε max = 3.75 × 10 2 V/cm

Problem 7.19

(a) Vbi (3N a ) − Vbi (N a )

 N (3 N )  N N 
= Vt ln  d 2 a  − Vt ln  d 2 a 
 n i   n i 

 N N    Nd Na 
= Vt ln(3) + ln  d 2 a   − Vt ln  
  n i    n i 
2

= Vt ln(3) = (0.0259 ) ln(3)

= 0.02845 V

1/ 2
 e ∈s N a 
(b) C ′ ≅  
 2(Vbi + V R ) 
C ′(3 N a )  3 N a 
1/ 2

So =  = 3 = 1.732
C ′(N a )  N a 
 (c) For a larger doping, the space charge width narrows which results in a larger capacitance.

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Problem 7.27

(
x p = (0.20 )W = (0.20 ) x n + x p )
(0.8)x p = (0.2)x n

xn = 4x p

( )
N a x p = N d xn = N d 4x p

⇒ N a = 4N d

 Na Nd 
(a) Vbi = Vt ln  
 n i 
2

 4 N d2 
= (0.0259 ) ln  
(
 1.8 × 10 6 )
2


1/ 2
 e ∈s N a N d 
C = AC ′ = A 
 2(Vbi + V R )(N a + N d ) 

( )( ) (
 1.6 × 10 −19 (13.1) 8.85 × 10 −14
= 10 − 4 
2(Vbi + 2 )
)


×
(4 N )
2
d
1/ 2

(5 N d )

Nd
0.6 × 10 −12 = 2.724 × 10 − 20
Vbi + 2

By trial and error,

N d = 1.504 × 1015 cm −3 ,

N a = 6.016 × 1015 cm −3 ,

Vbi = 1.10 V

(b) From part (a),

 Nd
0.6 × 10 −12 = 2.724 × 10 − 20
Vbi + 5

By trial and error,

N d = 2.976 × 1015 cm −3 ,

N a = 1.19 × 1016 cm −3 ,

Vbi = 1.135 V

_______________________________________

Problem 7.33

 N aO N dO 
(a) Vbi = Vt ln 2


 ni 
(c) p-region

dΕ ρ (x ) eN
= = − aO
dx ∈s ∈s

or

eN aO x
Ε=− + C1
∈s

We have

eN aO x p
Ε = 0 at x = − x p ⇒ C1 = −
∈s

Then for − x p < x < 0

Ε=−
eN aO
∈s
(
x + xp )

n-region, 0 < x < x O

dΕ 1 ρ (x ) eN dO
= =
dx ∈s 2 ∈s

or

eN dO x
Ε1 = + C2
2 ∈s
 n-region, x O < x < x n

dΕ 2 ρ (x ) eN dO
= =
dx ∈s ∈s

or

eN dO x
Ε2 = + C3
∈s

We have Ε 2 = 0 at x = x n

eN dO x n
⇒ C3 = −
∈s

so that for x O < x < x n , we have

eN dO
Ε2 = − (x n − x )
∈s

We also have Ε 2 = Ε 1 at x = x O

Then

eN dO x O eN
+ C 2 = − dO (x n − x O )
2 ∈s ∈s

which gives

eN dO  x 
C2 = −  x n − O 
∈s  2 

Then for 0 < x < x O we have

eN dO x eN dO  x 
Ε1 = −  x n − O 
2 ∈s ∈s  2 

_______________________________________