Department of Electrical Engineering 2024/2/18

Yuan Ze University
EEC531 Semiconductor Devices

Homework Problem set 2

Constants you might need :

Boltzmann’s constant, k = 1.38 x 10-23 J/K; Thermal voltage at 300 K, kT/q = 0.0259V.
Silicon at 300 K, Eg = 1.12 eV, Nc = 2.80 x 1019 /cm3, Nv = 1.04 x 1019 /cm3.
Intrinsic carrier density in Si, ni = 1010 cm-3 at 300K. Ks = 11.7, εo = 8.85 x 10-14 F/cm.

Table 1: Mobilities in Silicon (cm2/V/s) at 300 K

NA or ND (cm- n p
3
)
1x1010 1360 461
1x10 12
1360 461
1x1013 1360 461
1x1014 1358 461
5x10 14
1352 459
1x1015 1345 458
2x10 15
1332 455
5x1015 1298 448
1x1016 1248 437
1x10 17
801 331
1x1018 270 150

1. (a) From the definition of sheet resistance, derive the relation between it and resistivity.
(b) What are the units for sheet resistance and resistivity?
(c) Write down Ohm’s law from the material point of view.
(d) What are the two kinds of carrier scattering that determine the mobility of a semiconductor?
(e) Why does GaAs have significantly higher electron mobility n than Si?
(f) What’s the cause of velocity saturation in semiconductors?
(g) How is GaAs’s velocity saturation behavior different from Si’s? And (h) why?
(h) What electrical properties of a semiconductor material can be measured with Hall effect?

2. For each of the two band diagrams below, (a) describe the conditions required to obtain that
diagram; (b) determine whether the drift current Jdrift, the diffusion current Jdiff, and the total current J
are nonzero, and if so, give the direction of the current(s).
(I) (II)
Department of Electrical Engineering 2024/2/18
Yuan Ze University
EEC531 Semiconductor Devices

3. Recombination processes
List the three important carrier recombination processes in semiconductors. For each of them,
please point out in what kind of semiconductor materials it will be the dominant recombination
process.

4. Solving the minority carrier diffusion equation

An infinite n-type Si bar is depicted in the figure below. The entire bar is uniformly doped with Nd
= 1017/cm3, p = 2x10-6 s, and T = 300 K. Originally it has been placed in darkness for a long time.
Starting from t = 0, the x > 0 portion is illuminated with light. The light generates electron-hole
pairs at a rate GL = 1015/(cm3-s) uniformly throughout the x > 0 region of the bar. But GL = 0 for x
< 0.
(a) Find the time-dependent δpn(t) at x = ∞ for t > 0.
Now, after the steady state is reached (t = ∞), answer the following parts:
(b) What is the δpn at x = -∞? Explain.
(c) What is the δpn at x = +∞? Explain.
(d) Do low-level injection conditions prevail? Explain.
(e) Calculate the diffusion length Lp (in μm) of excess holes.
(f) Solve the minority carrier diffusion equation for δpn (x) for all x. (Hint: Both δpn and d(δpn)/dx
must be continuous at x = 0.)
Light
(turned on at t = 0)

Fig.
GL = 0 GL = 1015/(cm3-s)

2 0
x

5. Unbiased pn junction
For an unbiased Si p-n junction at 300 K with Na = 1014 /cm3 and Nd = 1017 /cm3, calculate (a) the
built-in potential Vbi, (b) the depletion region width W (in μm), (c) xp, (d) xn, and (e) the
maximum electric field |Emax| in the depletion region.
(f) Plot the PN junction band diagram (E-x diagram) for zero bias. You need to calculate and plot
the values (EC - EF)|N-side and (EF - EV)|P-side. (P-type on the left; n-type on the right.)
Department of Electrical Engineering 2024/2/18
Yuan Ze University
EEC531 Semiconductor Devices

(g) For a p+-n junction where the p+ side is degenerately doped (Na > 1019 /cm3), the built-in
potential Vbi is given by:
Vbi = 0.56 V + (kT/e) ln(Nd/ni)
Show how this relation is obtained.
(h) Similarly, for an n+-p junction where the n+ side is degenerately doped (Nd > 1019 /cm3), what is
the built-in potential Vbi?

6. Doping concentration and Fermi level

Consider a Si p-n junction with the following band diagram at 300 K:
junction
EC
EF 0.13eV
0.26eV

EV
(a) Is this system in thermal equilibrium? Why or why not?
(b) Which side is n-type, and which side is p-type? How do you tell?
(c) Determine the doping concentration Nd for the n-type, and Na for the p-type.
(d) What are the carrier concentrations p and n in the n-type material far away from the junction?
(e) What are those carrier concentrations in the p-type material far away from the junction?
(f) The total carrier density (p+n) near the junction (i.e., the grey area) is significantly lower than
those in areas far away from the junction. Why?
(g) The band bending in this diagram was NOT accurately plotted. Please replot it correctly.
(h) Calculate the depletion region widths W, xp, and xn.
(i) What are the majority and minority carrier mobilities on the lightly doped side far from the junction?
(Non-compensated.)
(j) Assume that n = p = 10-6s, what is the minority carrier diffusion length on the lightly doped
side? Is it Ln or Lp?