pn JUNCTION DIODES

Team
 Lecture 9

OUTLINE
• pn Junction Diodes
– Electrostatics (step junction)

Reading: Pierret 5; Hu 4.1-4.2

 pn Junctions
• A pn junction is typically fabricated by implanting or diffusing
donor atoms into a p-type substrate to form an n-type layer:

C. C. Hu, Modern Semiconductor Devices for ICs, Figure 4-1

• A pn junction has a rectifying current-vs.-voltage characteristic:

C. C. Hu, Modern Semiconductor Devices for ICs, Figure 4-2

Terminology
Net Doping Profile:

R.F. Pierret, Semiconductor Fundamentals, Figure 5.1

 Idealized pn Junctions
R.F. Pierret, Semiconductor Fundamentals, Figure 5.2

• In the analysis going forward, we will consider only the net

dopant concentration on each side of the pn junction:
NA  net acceptor doping on the p side: (NA-ND)p-side
ND  net donor doping on the n side: (ND-NA)n-side
Electrostatics (Step Junction)
Band diagram:

Electrostatic potential:

Electric field:

Charge density:

R.F. Pierret, Semiconductor Fundamentals, Figure 5.4

“Game Plan” to obtain r(x), E(x), V(x)
1. Find the built-in potential Vbi
2. Use the depletion approximation  r (x)
(depletion widths xp, xn unknown)

3. Integrate r (x) to find E(x)

Apply boundary conditions E(-xp)=0, E(xn)=0

4. Integrate E(x) to obtain V(x)

Apply boundary conditions V(-xp)=0, V(xn)=Vbi

5. For E(x) to be continuous at x=0, NAxp = NDxn

Solve for xp, xn
 Built-In Potential Vbi
qVbi   S p side   S n side  ( Ei  EF ) p side  ( EF  Ei ) n side

R.F. Pierret, Semiconductor Fundamentals, Figure 5.4a

For non-degenerately doped material:

 p n
( Ei  E F ) p  side  kT ln  ( EF  Ei ) n  side  kT ln 
 ni   ni 
 NA   ND 
 kT ln   kT ln 
 ni   ni 
What if one side is degenerately doped?
qVbi  ( Ei  E F ) p  side  ( E F  Ei ) n  side

p+n junction n+p junction

 The Depletion Approximation
R.F. Pierret, Semiconductor Fundamentals, Figure 5.6

In the depletion region

on the p side,  = –qNA

 ( x)   qN A
x  C1  
qN A
x  x p 
s s

In the depletion region

on the n side,  = qND

 ( x)  qN D
x  C1 
qN A
 xn  x 
s s
Electric Field Distribution
E(x)
-xp xn
x

The electric field is continuous at x = 0

 NAxp = NDxn
Electrostatic Potential Distribution
On the p side:
qN A
V ( x)  ( x  x p ) 2  D1
2 s

Choose V(-xp) to be 0
 V(xn) = Vbi

On the n side:
qN D qN D
V ( x)   ( xn  x )  D2  Vbi 
2
( xn  x ) 2
2 s 2 s
 Derivation of Depletion Width
• At x = 0, expressions for p side and n side must be equal:

• We also know that NAxp = NDxn

 Depletion Width
• Eliminating xp, we have:
2 sVbi  NA 
xn   
q  ND (N A  ND ) 

• Eliminating xn, we have:

2 sVbi  ND 
xp   
q  N A(N A  ND ) 

• Summing, we have:
2 sVbi  1 1 
xn  x p  W    
q  N A ND 
Depletion Width in a One-Sided Junction
If NA >> ND as in a p+n junction:

2 sVbi
W  xn
qN D

x p  xn N D N A  0

What about a n+p junction?

1 1 1 1
W  2 s Vbi qN where   
N N D N A lighter dopant density
Peak E-Field in a One-Sided Junction

 dx   (0) W  Vbi
1
2

2 s
W Vbi
qN

 (0) 
2Vbi
W

2qNVbi
s
 V(x) in a One-Sided Junction
p side n side
qN A qN D
V ( x)  ( x  x p )2 V ( x)  Vbi  ( xn  x ) 2
2 s 2 s
ND
V (0)  Vbi
NA  ND
 Example: One-Sided pn Junction
A p+n junction has NA=1020 cm-3 and ND =1017cm-3.
Find (a) Vbi (b) W (c) xn and (d) xp .

EG kT N D
Vbi   ln
2q q ni

2 sVbi
W
qN D

xn  W

x p  xn N D N A
 Voltage Drop across a pn Junction
R.F. Pierret, Semiconductor Fundamentals, Figure 5.10

Note that VA should be significantly smaller than Vbi in order for

low-level injection conditions to prevail in the quasi-neutral regions.
Effect of Applied Voltage

2 s  1 1 
W 
(Vbi  VA )  
q  N A ND 

R.F. Pierret, Semiconductor Fundamentals, Figure 5.11

 Summary
• For a non-degenerately-doped pn junction:
kT N D N A
Built-in potential Vbi  ln
q ni2
2 s Vbi  VA   1 1 
Depletion width W  xn  x p    
q  NA ND 
NA ND
xn  W xp  W
N A  ND N A  ND

• For a one-sided junction:

Built-in potential E kT N
Vbi  G  ln
2 q ni
Depletion width 2 s Vbi  VA 
W
qN
Linearly Graded pn Junction