ECE

 606:    Spring  2013     Purdue  University

   

SOLUTIONS:    ECE  606  Homework    Week  8    

Mark  Lundstrom  
Purdue  University  
March  7,  2013  
 
 
 
1) The  doping  profile  for  an  n-­‐type  silicon  wafer  ( N D = 1015 cm-­‐3)  with  a  heavily  doped  
thin  layer  at  the  surface  (surface  concentration,   N S = 1020 cm-­‐3)  is  sketched  below.    
Answer  the  following  questions.  
 
 

 
 
 
()
1a)   Assume  approximate  space  charge  neutrality  ( n x ! N D x )  and  equilibrium   ()
conditions  and  compute  the  position  of  the  Fermi  level  with  respect  to  the  bottom  
of  the  conduction  band  at   x = 0  and  as   x ! " .    
 
Solution:  
 
n0 ( x ) = N C e( " N D ( x )    
E F ! EC ) k BT

 
" N ( x) %
E F ! EC ( x ) = k BT ln $ D '     N C = 3.23! 1019  cm-­‐3  
$# N C '&
 
" N (0) % ⎡ 1020 ⎤
E F ! EC ( 0 ) = k BT ln $ D '   ()
E F − EC 0 = k BT ln ⎢ 19 ⎥
= +1.13k BT
$# N C '& ⎣ 3.23 × 10 ⎦  
 
 
 

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HW  Week  8  Solutions  Continued  

$ N ( x " #) '
E F ! EC ( x " # ) = k BT ln & D )
&% NC )(  
⎡ 1015 ⎤
( )
E F − EC x → ∞ = k BT ln ⎢ 19 ⎥
= −10.4k BT
  ⎣ 3.23 × 10 ⎦  
 
()
1b)    Using  the  above  information,  sketch   EC x  vs.  x.    Be  sure  to  include  the  Fermi  level.  

       
 
1c)   Sketch  the  electrostatic  potential  vs.  position.  

       
 
1d)   Sketch  the  electric  field  vs.  portion.  

       

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HW  Week  8  Solutions  Continued  

 
()
1e)   Derive  an  expression  for  the  position  dependent  electric  field,  E x ,  in  terms  of  
()
the  position-­‐dependent  doping  density,   N D x .    HINT:    Use  the  electron  current  
equation  and  assume  equilibrium  conditions.  
 
Solution:  
dn
J n = nqµ nE + k BT µ n
= 0    
dx
k T 1 dn k BT 1 dN D ( x )
E = B =  
q n dx q N D ( x ) dx

! k T $ 1 dN D ( x )
E =# B &
" q % N D ( x ) dx
 
Another  way  is  to  begin  with   n0 ≈ N D = N C e( EF −EC ) kBT  and  differentiate.  
 
2) A  silicon  diode  is  symmetrically  doped  at   N D = N A = 1015  cm-­‐3.    Answer  the  following  
questions  assuming  room  temperature,  equilibrium  conditions,  and  the  depletion  
approximation.  
 
2a)    Compute   Vbi .  
Solution:  
 
k T !N N $ ! 1030 $
Vbi = B ln # A 2 D & = 0.026ln # 20 & = 0.60  V  
q " ni % " 10 %
 
Vbi = 0.60  
 
2b)    Compute   xn , x p  and  W.  
Solution:  
 
1/2
# 2! " NA &
xn = % S 0 Vbi ( = 0.625 µ m    
%$ q N D ( N A + N D ) ('
 
xn = x p = 0.625 µ m  (because  N  and  P  regions  are  symmetrical)  

W = xn + x p = 1.25 µ m
 

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HW  Week  8  Solutions  Continued  
 
( ) (
2c)    Compute   V x = 0  and  E x = 0 .   )
 
Solution:  
By  symmetry:  
 
Vbi qN A 2
V (0) = = 0.30 V  or  use   V ( x = 0 ) = x  
2 2! S " 0 p
qN A
E ( x = 0) = x p = 9.6 # 103
! S"0  
 
E ( 0 ) = !9.6 " 103 V/cm  
 
()
2d)    Sketch   ! x  vs.  x.  
 
Solution:  
ρ N = +qN D = +1.6 × 10 −4 C/cm 3
 
! P = "qN A = "1.6 # 10 "4 C/cm 3
 

       
 
3) Your  textbook  (Pierret,  SDF)  presents  the  “classic”  expressions  for  PN  junction  
electrostatics.    Simplify  these  expressions  for  a  “one-­‐sided”  P+N  junction  for  which  
N A >> N D .    Present  simplified  expressions  (when  possible)  for:  
 
3a)      The  built-­‐in  potential,   Vbi ,  from  Pierret,  Eqn.  (5.10).  
Solution:  
 
k T !N N $
Vbi = B ln # D 2 A &  no  simplification  possible  
q " ni %
 

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HW  Week  8  Solutions  Continued  
 
3b)      The  total  depletion  layer  depth,   W ,  from  Pierret,  Eqn.  (5.31).  
 
Solution:  
 
1/2 1/2
) 2! " # N + N D & , # 2! " &
W =+ S 0% A ( Vbi .   N A >> N D    W = % S 0 Vbi (  
* q $ NDNA ' - $ qN D '
 
()
3c)      The  peak  electric  field,  E 0 ,  from  Pierret,  Eqn.  (5.19)  or  (5.21).  
 
Solution:  
2Vbi 2qVbi # N D N A & 2qN DVbi
E (0) = = % (       E ( 0 ) =  
W ! s" 0 $ N A + N D ' ! s" 0
 
()
3d)    The  electrostatic  potential,   V x  from  Pierret,  Eqn.  (5.28)  
 
Solution:  
qN D qN D
V ( x ) = Vbi !
2" S # 0
( xn ! x )      V ( x ) = Vbi −
2
(W − x )2  
2κ S ε 0
Now  use  the  expression  for  W  above  to  find:  
 
V ( x ) = Vbi ⎡1 − (1 − x W ) ⎤  
2
⎣ ⎦
 
4) A  silicon  diode  is  asymmetrically  doped  at   N A = 1019  cm-­‐3  and   N D = 1015  cm-­‐3      Answer  
the  following  questions  assuming  room  temperature,  equilibrium  conditions,  and  the  
depletion  approximation.  
 
4a)    Compute   Vbi .  
 
Solution:  
 
k T !N N $ ! 1025 ' 1019 $
Vbi = B ln # A 2 D & = 0.026ln # 20 &% = 0.84  V  
q " ni % " 10
 
Vbi = 0.84  
 

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HW  Week  8  Solutions  Continued  
 
4b)    Compute   xn , x p  and  W.  
Solution:  
x p ! 0  
1/2
$ 2" # '
xn ! W = & S 0 Vbi ) = 1.05 µ m    
% qN D (
 
W = 1.05 µ m  (depletion  region  mostly  on  the  N-­‐side,  the  lightly  doped  side)  
 
( )
4c)    Compute   V x = 0  and  E x = 0 .   ( )
 
Solution:  
 
V ( 0 ) ! 0 V    
 
qN D
E (0) = W = 1.6 # 104 V/cm
! S"0  

E ( 0 ) = 1.6 ! 104 V/cm  (plus  sign  assumes  N  region  is  on  the  left)  
 
()
4d)    Sketch   ! x  vs.  x.  
Solution:  
 

 
 
The  charge  on  the  P-­‐side  is  essentially  a  delta  function  with  the  total  charge  in  C/cm2  
 equal  in  magnitude  and  opposite  in  sign  to  the  charge  on  the  N-­‐side.  
 

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HW  Week  8  Solutions  Continued  
 
5)   Repeat  problem  4)  using  the  “exact”  solution  to  PN  junction  electrostatics.  
 
Solution:  
 
k BT ⎛ N D ⎞ ⎛ 1015 ⎞
VN = + ln ⎜ = 0.026 ln ⎜ 10 ⎟ = 0.30  
q ⎝ ni ⎟⎠ ⎝ 10 ⎠
kBT " N A % " 1019 %
VP = ! ln $ = 0.026 ln $# 1010 '& = !0.540  
q # ni '&
Vbi = VN ! VP = 0.84  V       Vbi = 0.84  
 
C N ! CP
V (0) =  
a N ! aP
aN = N D = 1015  
aP = !N A = !1019  
 
C N = aNVN ! 2ni ( kBT q ) cosh ( qVN kBT )  
C N = 1015 ! 0.30 " 2 ! 1010 ( 0.026 ) cosh (11.5 ) = 2.74 ! 1014  
 
CP = aPVP ! 2ni ( kBT q ) cosh ( qVP kBT )  
CP = ( !1019 ) ( !0.54 ) ! 2 " 1010 ( 0.026 ) cosh ( !20.7 ) = 5.15 " 1018
 
 
C N ! CP
V (0) = = !0.518  
a N ! aP
 
V ( 0 ) ! VP = !0.54 ! 0.512 = 0.028 " k BT q  
 
The  potential  drop  across  the  heavily  doped  side  is  about  kBT/q.  
 
E ( 0 ) = 2q ! S " 0 ( ni ( kBT q ) eqV (0) kBT + ni ( kBT q ) e# qV (0) kBT # aNV (0) + C N )  
1/2

 
Putting  in  numbers,  we  find:  
 
E ( 0 ) ! 1.7 " 10 5 V/cm  V/cm  
 
which  is  about  10X  the  electric  field  we  found  in  prob.  4.  

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HW  Week  8  Solutions  Continued  

 
n0 ( 0 ) = ni eqV ( 0 ) kBT = 27  cm-­‐3  
p0 ( 0 ) = ni e! qV ( 0 ) kBT = 0.37 " 1017  cm-­‐3  
 
( )
! 0 " = q #$ p0 ( 0 ) " n0 ( 0 ) + N D %& = q #$ 0.37 ' 1019 + 1015 %& ( q #$ 0.37 ' 1019 %&  

! ( 0 ) # q %& 0.37 $ 10
" 19
( )
'(  (depletion  approximation  would  give   ! 0 " # q $%1015 &' )  
 
! ( 0 + ) = q #$ p0 ( 0 ) " n0 ( 0 ) " N A %& = q #$ 0.37 ' 1019 " 1019 %&  

! ( 0 + ) = "q $% 0.63 # 1019 &'  (depletion  approximation  would  give   ! ( 0 + ) " #q $%1019 &' )  
 

   
 
6)   Semiconductor  devices  often  contain  “high-­‐low”  junctions  for  which  the  doping  density  
changes  magnitude,  but  not  sign.    The  example  below  shows  a  high-­‐low  step  junction.    
Answer  the  questions  below.  
 

         
 
 

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HW  Week  8  Solutions  Continued  

 
6a)  Sketch  an  energy  band  diagram  for  this  junction.  
 

     
 
6b)  Sketch   V x ( )  
 

 
 
6c)    Sketch  E x ( )  
 

     
 

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HW  Week  8  Solutions  Continued  

 
()
6d)    Sketch   ! x  vs.  x.  

     
()
6e)    Name  the  charged  entities  responsible  for ! x  in  6d).  
 
Solution:  
For  x  <  0,  the  charge  is  a  depletion  charge.    Mobile  electrons  leave  the  heavily  
doped  side  of  the  junction  leaving  behind  a  concentration,  ND1,  of  ionized  
donors.      
 
For  x  >  0,  the  charge  is  due  to  the  additional  mobile  electrons  that  have  spilled  
over  from  the  heavily  doped  side.    This  is  NOT  a  depletion  region.  
 
6f)      Explain  why  the  depletion  approximation  cannot  be  used  for  this  problem.  
 
Solution:  
Because,  as  explained  above,  there  is  a  depletion  region  on  only  ONE  side  of  the  
junction.    We  could  use  the  depletion  approximation  there,  but  not  on  the  lightly  doped  
side.  
 
6g)    Calculate   Vbi  for  this  high-­‐low  junction  assuming  silicon  at  room  temperature.  
 
Solution:  
First,  consider  the  two  sides  of  the  junction  separately:  
n01
n01 = N C e( F 1 C ) B     n02 = N C e( F 2 C ) B   = e( F 1 F 2 ) B  
E !E k T E !E k T E !E k T

n02
The  built-­‐in  potential  develops  to  align  these  two  Fermi  levels:  
"n %
  ( )
E F1 ! E F 2 = qVbi = k BT ln $ 01 '  
# n02 &
k BT ⎛ N D1 ⎞
  Vbi = ln ⎜ ⎟  
q ⎝ N D2 ⎠

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HW  Week  8  Solutions  Continued  

 
 
7)   Consider  an  N+P  diode  with  the  length  of  the  quasi-­‐neutral  P-­‐region  being,  WP.    Answer  the  
following  questions  assuming  that  recombination  in  the  space-­‐charge  region  can  be  
neglected.  
 
( )
7a)    Derive  a  general  expression  for   I D V A  valid  for  a  P  region  of  any  length,  WP.  
 
Solution:  
In  HW7,  problem  12c,  we  solved  the  minority  carrier  diffusion  equation  for  a  region  of  
any  length  and  found:  
 
sinh #$(WP " x ) / Ln %&
!n ( x ) = !n ( 0 )  
sinh (WP / Ln )
 
Let  x  =  0  be  the  edge  of  the  neutral  P-­‐region.    The  electron  current  is:  
d!n D cosh (WP Ln )
  J n = +qDn = "q n !n ( 0 )    (minus  sign  means  that  the  electron  
dx x=0 Ln sinh (WP Ln )
current  is  flowing  in  the  minus  x  direction.    Since  this  is  a  one-­‐sided  junction,  and  we  
are  ignoring  recombination  in  the  space-­‐charge  region,  this  is  the  total  diode  current,  
ID.  Let’s  define  the  forward  biased  current  to  be  positive.      
 
Dn cosh (WP Ln )
I D = ! AJ n = qA "n ( 0 )  
Ln sinh (WP Ln )
 
Finally,  use  the  “Law  of  the  Junction”  for  the  boundary  condition:  

()
!n 0 =
NA
e(
ni2 qVA kBT
)
" 1    

to  find:  
 
! Dn ni2 $ cosh (WP Ln ) qVA
I D = # qA &
" Ln N A % sinh (WP Ln )
e ( k BT
)
' 1  

 
7b)       Simplify  the  expression  derived  in  7a)  for  a  “long  diode”.    Explain  what  “long”  means  
(i.e.  WP  is  long  compared  to  what?)  
 
Solution:  
A  “long  diode”  is  one  with  the  quasi-­‐neutral  region  is  much  longer  than  the  diffusion  
length,   WP >> Ln .  

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HW  Week  8  Solutions  Continued  

x x
e e
cosh ( x ) !     sinh ( x ) !  and  we  find  
2 2
! D n2 $ qV
I D = # qA n i & e A
" Ln N A %
( k BT
)
' 1  

 
7c)   Simplify  the  expression  derived  in  7a)  for  a  “short  diode”.    Explain  what  “short”  
means.  
 
Solution:  
A  “short  diode”  is  one  with  the  quasi-­‐neutral  region  is  much  shorter  than  the  diffusion  
length,   WP << Ln .  
cosh ( x ) ! 1     sinh ( x ) ! x  and  we  find  
 
! D n2 $
I D = # qA n i & eqVA
" WP N A %
( k BT
)
' 1  

 
8)   Consider  a  P+N  diode  that  is  illuminated  with  light,  which  produces  a  uniform  generation,  GL,  
of  electron-­‐holes  pairs  per  cm3  per  second.    The  N-­‐region  is  long  compared  to  a  diffusion  
length.  
 
8a)   Consider  first  a  uniform,  infinitely  long  N-­‐type  semiconductor  with  a  uniform  
generation  rate  and  solve  for  the  steady-­‐state  excess  minority  carrier  density,   !p .  
 
Solution:  
We  have  solved  this  problem  before,  in  HW7.    The  answer  is:  
 
!p = GL" p    
 
8b)     Now  consider  the  illuminated  P+N  diode.    What  are  the  boundary  conditions  at  
( )
!pn xn  and   !pn x " # ?  ( )
 
Solution:  
Assume  that  the  Law  of  the  Junction  still  applies.  

!pn ( xn ) =
ni2 qVA
ND
e ( k BT
)
" 1  

!pn ( x " # ) = GL$ n

 
 

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HW  Week  8  Solutions  Continued  

 
8c)   Use  the  boundary  conditions  developed  in  8b),  neglect  recombination-­‐
( )
generation  in  the  SCR  and  in  the  P+  layer,  and  solve  for   I D V A  for  this  
illuminated  diode.  
 
Solution:  
 
Having  solved  the  MDE  so  many  times,  we  can  see  that  the  solution  is:  
!p ( x ) = Ae
" x/ Lp
+ GL# p    
This  satisfies  the  b.c.  for   x ! "
   
 
!p ( 0 ) = A + GL" p   A = GL! p " #p ( 0 )  so  the  solution  is:  
!p ( x ) = !p ( 0 ) e
" x/ Lp
+ GL# p 1" e ( " x/ Lp
)  
 
The  current  is:    
d"p D D
J p = !qD p = q p "p ( 0 ) ! q p GL# p  
dx x=0 Lp Lp
 
Use  the  Law  of  the  Junction:  
D p ni2
(e )! q L
Dp
GL" p  
qV A k BT
J p = JD = q
Lp N A p

 
Note  that  the  first  term  is  just  the  diode  current  in  the  dark,   J DARK  and  the  second  
term  is  the  photo-­‐generated  current,  which  is  bias-­‐independent  and  what  we  
measure  under  short  circuit  conditions.  
 
( )
J D = J DARK V A ! J SC  
D p ni2
( )
J DARK V A = q
Lp N A
(e qV A k BT
)
− 1  

Dp
J SC = q GL! p  
Lp
This  result  is  the  “classical”  way  of  describing  a  solar  cell  –  the  approach  is  called  
“superposition”  –  we  add  the  dark  current  and  the  current  due  to  collection  of  photo-­‐
generated  carriers.    Note  that  superposition  assumes  that  the  collected  photocurrent  
is  independent  of  bias  and  that  the  Law  of  the  Junction  is  valid  under  illumination.  
 
 

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HW  Week  8  Solutions  Continued  

 
( )
8d)   Sketch   I D V A  for   GL = 0 ,   GL = G0  and GL = 2G0 .  
 

     

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