ECE-305: Spring 2016

Energy Band Diagrams

Pierret, Semiconductor Device Fundamentals (SDF)
pp. 89-93

Professor Mark Lundstrom

Electrical and Computer Engineering
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
lundstro@purdue.edu

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2/4/16
 outline

1.  The Fermi level is constant!

2.  Energy band diagrams

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 the Fermi level in equilibrium

E1
E
EC ( x )
EF
Ei ( x )
EV ( x )

1
f (E) =
1+ e( E1 −EF ) kBT

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the Fermi level in equilibrium

Very, very important point:

The Fermi level is constant in equilibrium.

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 outline

1.  The Fermi level is constant! ✓

2.  Energy band diagrams

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 band bending
E

?
KE
EC

+VG Ei
V =0
EF
EV

x
6 Lundstrom ECE 305 S16
 Voltage and electron potential energy

E = −qV

7
+V
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 band bending
V ( x)

+VG

V =0

x
8
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 band bending

E
EC ( x ) = EC ( +∞ ) − qV ( x )

EC

Ei
V =0
EF
EV

dEC ( x ) dV ( x )
= −q = qE
dx dx
x

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 reading an energy band diagram

E
1
EC V ( x ) = − EC ( x )
q
Ei 1 dEC ( x )
E =
EF q dx

n ( x ) = ni e(
EV EF −Ei ( x )) kBT

x
p ( x ) = ni e(
Ei ( x )−EF ) kBT

10 Lundstrom ECE 305 S16

 practice

Sketch:
E
EC •  Electrostatic potential
Ei
EF
•  Electric field
EV
•  Electron density

x •  Hole density

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 more practice

1018 cm -3
p( x)

Draw the e-band diagram

and find the electrostatic
potential vs. position and
the electric field vs.
position.

1015 cm -3

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 where does the electric-field come from?

p0 ( x ) N A− ( x )

p0 ( x ) ≈ N A− ( x )
E
- +
“quasi-neutral”

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 outline

1.  The Fermi level is constant! ✓

2.  Energy band diagrams ✓

Drawing them
Energy band diagrams are
REALLY important! Reading them

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