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Electronics devices and circuits >> Semiconductor diodes >> Width of

depletion region
Semiconductor
diodes
Width of depletion region
P-N Junction What is depletion region?
Zero bias P-N
Junction Depletion region is a region near the p-n junction
Barrier voltage where flow of charge carriers (free electrons and
Depletion holes) is reduced over a given period and finally
region results in zero charge carriers. The width of depletion
Width of
region is depends on the amount of impurities added
depletion region
to the semiconductor. Impurities are the atoms
P-N junction
(pentavalent and trivalent atoms) added to the
diode
Forward biased semiconductor to improve its conductivity.
diode
If pentavalent atoms are added to the pure or intrinsic
Reverse biased
semiconductor, an n-type semiconductor is formed.
diode
V-I On the other hand, if trivalent atoms are added to the

characteristics pure semiconductor, a p-type semiconductor is

of diode formed.
Depletion
region The number of charge carriers in the p-type and n-
breakdown type semiconductors is depends on the amount of
Ideal diode
impurity atoms (pentavalent and trivalent atoms)
Real diode
added. If large number of impurity atoms is added to
Diode junction
the p-type and n-type semiconductor, a large number
capacitance
Diode of charge carriers (free electrons or holes) are

resistance generated. Similarly, if small number of impurity

Zener diode atoms is added to the p-type and n-type
Avalanche semiconductor, a small number of charge carriers are
diode generated.
Photodiode
Light Emitting Depletion width: P-type and n-type semiconductors is
Diode heavily doped
Laser diode
Tunnel diode The process of adding impurity atoms to the pure or
Schottky diode intrinsic semiconductor is called doping. When a large
Varactor diode number of pentavalent atoms are added to the
P-n junction
intrinsic semiconductor, a large number of free
diode
electrons are generated. The semiconductor, which
applications
has large number of free electrons, is called n-type
Silicon
Controlled semiconductor.
Rectifier
When a large number of trivalent impurity atoms are
0
SH AR ES added to the intrinsic semiconductor, a large number
of holes are generated. The semiconductor, which
has large number of holes, is called p-type
semiconductor.

When a heavily doped n-type semiconductor is joined

with the heavily doped p-type semiconductor, a p-n
junction is formed. In n-type semiconductor, large
number of free electrons is present; due to this, they
get repelled from each other and try to move from
higher concentration region (n-side) to a lower
concentration region (p-side). Similarly, in p-type
semiconductor, holes get repelled from each other
and try to move from higher concentration (p-side)
region to a lower concentration region (n-side). The
free electrons that cross the junction provide extra
electrons to the atoms at p-side by filling the holes.
The atom, which gains extra electron at the p-side,
becomes a negative ion. Similarly, the free electrons,
which left the parent atoms to fill the holes at p-side,
create a positive ion at n-side.

If the doping level is further increased, then even

more number of free electrons and holes are
generated. This will create a large electric field at n-
side and p-side. This electric field dominates the
opposing electric field from the ions (depletion
region). Hence, the electric field pushes free electrons
towards p-side and holes towards n-side.

In heavily doped semiconductors, recombination rate

is very fast because of large number of charge
carriers. Hence, the free electrons (majority charge
carriers) fill the holes in the positive ions at n-side
before they cross the p-n junction. The positive ion
(charged atom), which gains the electron, becomes a
neutral atom. Similarly, the holes (majority charge
carriers) occupy the electron place in the negative ion
before they cross the p-n junction. The negative ion,
which loses the free electron, becomes a neutral
atom.

Hence, the positive ions at n-side and negative ions

at p-side (which acts like a barrier) are decreased
over a given period. This decreases the width of
depletion region. Thus, the width of depletion region
in the heavily doped semiconductor decreases over a
given period.

Depletion width: P-type and n-type semiconductors is

lightly doped

Just like the heavily doped n-type and p-type

semiconductors, the free electrons and holes are
generated in the lightly doped n-type and p-type
semiconductors. However, the free electrons and
holes generated in the lightly doped semiconductors
are less when compared with the heavily doped
semiconductors.

The free electrons in the n-type semiconductor

experience a repulsive force from each other and try
to move from a higher concentration region (n-side) to
a lower concentration region (p-side). Similarly, the
holes try to move from a higher concentration region
(p-side) to a lower concentration region (n-side).

In the lightly doped semiconductors, the

recombination rate is very slow. Hence, the free
electrons from n-side cross the junction and fill the
holes in the atoms at p-side before they recombine
with the positive ions at n-side. The atom, which gains
an extra electron at p-side, becomes a negative ion.
Similarly, the holes from p-side cross the junction and
occupy the electrons place at n-side before they
recombine with the negative ions at p-side. The atom,
which loses the valence electron at n-side, becomes
a positive ion.

Hence, the positive ions at n-side and the negative

ions at p-side are increased over a given period. This
increases the width of depletion region. Thus, the
width of depletion region increases in the lightly
doped semiconductors over a given period.
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