1

Outline
Reading: M&K- 4.3, 5.1, 5.2; T&N- 2.1.4.7, 2.2.2.2, 5.2.2.1, A5
Diode Capacitance
Junction
Diffusion
Continuity Equation and Minority Carrier Profiles
Generation and Recombination Processes
In equilibrium
In non-equilibrium
Surface recombination
2
Junction Capacitance
dV
dQ
C
junction
=
Q charge
V - voltage
For abrupt p-n
junction:
= =
dV
dQ
C
junction
3
Diffusion Capacitance
For holes in n-region:
dV
dQ
C
p
diff
=
Assume:
1. Long base
2. Steady state
3. No generation
}

A =
n
x
n p
dx x p Aq Q ) (
( )
p n app
L x x kT qV
n n
e e p x p
/ ) (
1 ) (

= A
|
.
|

\
|
= 1
kT
qV
n p p
app
e p AqL Q
kT qV n p p
diff p
app
e
kT
p L Aq
dV
dQ
C
2
,
= =
For elections in p-region:
kT qV p n
n
diff n
app
e
kT
n L Aq
dV
dQ
C
2
,
= =
( )
kT qV
p n n p diff n diff p diff total
app
e n L p L
kT
Aq
C C C + = + =
2
, , ,
4
Continuity Equations
n n
n
G R
x
J
q t
n
+
c
c
=
c
c 1
p p
p
G R
x
J
q t
p
+
c
c
=
c
c 1
whereG
n
,G
p
,R
n
,R
p
areelectronholegenerationandrecombinationrates.
generation:
recombination:
Inthesteadystatewithnegligibleelectronholegenerationandrecombinationrates:
0 =
dt
dJ
n
0 =
dt
dJ
p
5
Continuity Equation (Example 1)
p p
p
n
G R
x
J
q t
p
+
c
c
=
c
c 1
dx
dp
qD qp J
p p p
+ = X
p
p
no n n
p
n
p p n
n
G
p p
x
p
D
x
p
x
p
t
p
+

c
c
+
c
c

c
c
=
c
c
t

2
2
X
X
0
2
2
=

c
c
=
c
c
p
no n n
p
n
p p
x
p
D
t
p
t
p p p
D L t =
| |
p
L x
no n no n
e p p p x p
/
) 0 ( ) (

+ =
Case 2: Finite length B
Case 1: Semi-infinite sample
An n-type semiconductor where excess carriers are injected from one side as a result of illumination.
Boundary Conditions:
B
B
0
2
2
=

c
c
=
c
c
p
no n n
p
n
p p
x
p
D
t
p
t
Boundary Conditions:
| |
( )
(
(
(
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

+ =
p
p
no n no n
L B
L
x B
p p p x p
/ sinh
sinh
) 0 ( ) (
6
Continuity Equation (Example 2)
An n-type semiconductor with surface recombination at x=0 is under uniform illumination.
The hole current density flowing into the surface from the bulk is given by s(p
s
-p
no
)
p p
p
n
G R
x
J
q t
p
+
c
c
=
c
c 1
dx
dp
qD qp J
p p p
+ = X
p
p
no n n
p
n
p p n
n
G
p p
x
p
D
x
p
x
p
t
p
+

c
c
+
c
c

c
c
=
c
c
t

2
2
X
X
Boundary Conditions:
0
2
2
= +

c
c
=
c
c
L
p
no n n
p
n
G
p p
x
p
D
t
p
t
(
(

+
+ =

s L
se
G p x p
p p
L x
p
L p no n
p
t
t
t 1 ) (
Solution:
L p no n
G p x p t + ) (
( )
p
L x
p p no n
e G p x p

+ 1 ) ( t
7
Helpful Hints in Solving Continuity Equation
8
GenerationandRecombinationviaTrapStates
ShockleyReadHallRecombination:
trap
o |cm
2
]
9
GenerationandRecombination
ElectronCaptureRate,R
n
:
n th t t n
v E f N n R o ))] ( 1 ( [ =
p t t p
e E f N G ))] ( 1 ( =
n th t t p
v E f pN R o ) ( =
n t t n
e E f N G ) ( =
atequilibrium
R
p
=G
p
R
n
=G
n
|
.
|

\
|

=
kT
E E
n v e
i t
i n th n
exp o
|
.
|

\
|

=
kT
E E
n v e
t i
i p th p
exp o
ElectronEmissionRate,G
n
:
HoleCaptureRate,R
p
:
HoleEmissionRate,G
p
:
atequilibrium
10
NonequilibriumGenerationandRecombination
n n p p
G R G R G R U = = =
n th t
no
v N o
t
1
=
p th t
po
v N o
t
1
=
Netrecombinationrate:
(

|
.
|

\
|

+ +
(

|
.
|

\
|

+

=
(

|
.
|

\
|

+ +
(

|
.
|

\
|

+

=
kT
E E
n n
kT
E E
n p
n pn
kT
E E
n n
kT
E E
n p
n pn v N
U
i t
i po
t i
i no
i
i t
i n
t i
i p
i p n th t
exp exp
) (
exp exp
) (
2
2
t t o o
o o
where and
11
EffectofE
t
onNetRecombinationRate
(

|
.
|

\
|

+ +

=
kT
E E
n n p
n pn
U
t i
i o
i
cosh 2
) (
2
t
12
SurfaceRecombination
(

|
.
|

\
|

+ +
(

|
.
|

\
|

+

=
kT
E E
n n
kT
E E
n p
n n p v N
U
i st
i s n
st i
i s p
i s s p n th st
exp exp
) (
2
o o
o o
o
th st
v N s =
13
Example
Light is incident on a silicon bar doped with 10
16
cm
-3
donors, creating 10
21
cm
-3
s
-1
electron-hole pairs uniformly throughout the sample. There are 10
15
cm
-3
bulk
recombination centers at E
i
with electron and hole capture cross sections of 10
-14
cm
2
.
The thermal velocity is 10
7
cm/s, and there is no current flowing.
(a) Calculate the steady-state hole and electron concentrations with the light turned on.
(b) At time t=0 the light is turned off. Calculate the time response of the total hole density
and find the lifetime.
14
15
ReviewQuestions
1. Basedontheunderlyingmechanismsofjunctioncapacitanceand
diffusioncapacitancewhichwouldyouexpecttohaveamorerapid
timeresponse?
2. Whensimplifyingthecontinuityequations,whatarethemathematical
equivalentstothefollowingphrases:(a)steadystate,(b)nolight,(c)
nothermalrecombinationgeneration.
3. WhatisShockleyReadHallrecombination?Doesaveryeffectivetrap
statehaveasmallorlargecapturecrosssection?
4. AtequilibriumG
p
=?
5. Generationprocessesaredominant.Isthenetrecombinationrate
negativeorpositive?
6. Doestheminoritycarrierlifetimedependonthemajoritycarrier
concentration?Explain.
7. Atwhatenergiesaretrapstatesmosteffective?Isitthesame forboth
generationandrecombinationprocesses?
16
EquationsandConstants
n th t t n
v E f N n R o ))] ( 1 ( [ =
p t t p
e E f N G ))] ( 1 ( =
n th t t p
v E f pN R o ) ( =
n t t n
e E f N G ) ( =
|
.
|

\
|
=
kT
E E
n v e
i t
i n th n
exp o |
.
|

\
|
=
kT
E E
n v e
t i
i p th p
exp o
n th t
no
v N o
t
1
=
p th t
po
v N o
t
1
=
(

|
.
|

\
|
+ +
(

|
.
|

\
|
+

=
(

|
.
|

\
|
+ +
(

|
.
|

\
|
+

=
kT
E E
n n
kT
E E
n p
n pn
kT
E E
n n
kT
E E
n p
n pn v N
U
i t
i po
t i
i no
i
i t
i n
t i
i p
i p n th t
exp exp
) (
exp exp
) (
2
2
t t o o
o o
n n p p
G R G R G R U = = =
(

|
.
|

\
|

+ +

=
kT
E E
n n p
n pn
U
t i
i o
i
cosh 2
) (
2
t
(

|
.
|

\
|

+ +
(

|
.
|

\
|

+

=
kT
E E
n n
kT
E E
n p
n n p v N
U
i st
i s n
st i
i s p
i s s p n th st
exp exp
) (
2
o o
o o
d
junction
W
A
dV
dQ
C
c
= =
( )
kT qV
p n n p diff n diff p diff total
app
e n L p L
kT
Aq
C C C + = + =
2
, , ,