P-N Junction Diode

The P-N junction

• When p-type and n-type semiconductors brought
in contact with each other, we observe a
drastically changed behavior and set of new
properties, from the resulting device.
• The p-n junction is a versatile element, which can
be used as a rectifier, as an amplifier and as a
voltage-regulator and a switch. In addition, they
can be used as solar cells, photodiodes, light
emitting diodes and even laser diodes. They can
also
 The PN Junction Diode
• When a P-type semiconductor region and an N-type
semiconductor region are in contact, a PN junction
diode is formed.
VD
– +

ID
 p-n junction formation
p-type material
Semiconductor material
doped with acceptors.
Contains NEGATIVELY
charged acceptors ions
(immovable) and
POSITIVELY charged holes
(free).
Total charge = 0
n-type material
Semiconductor material
doped with donors.
Contains POSITIVELY
charged donors ions
(immovable) and
NEGATIVELY charged free
electrons.
Total charge = 0
 p- n junction formation
What happens if n- and p-type materials are in close contact?

P- type N- type

Being free particles, electrons start diffusing from n-type material into p-material

Being free particles, holes, too, start diffusing from p-type material into n-material
 p- n junction formation
What happens if n- and p-type materials are in close contact?

p-type n-type

Electrons and holes diffused in p and n–regions respectively, annihilate, leaving

negatively charged donor ion (in p-region) and positively charged acceptor ion
(in n-region).
Negative charge stops electrons from further diffusion
Positive charge stops holes from further diffusion

The diffusion forms a dipole charge layer at the p-n junction interface-
DEPLETION LAYER
There is a “built-in” VOLTAGE at the p-n junction interface that prevents
penetration of electrons into the p-side and holes into the n-side.
 Depletion Region
• As conduction electrons and holes diffuse across the junction,
they leave behind ionized dopants. Thus, a region that is
depleted of mobile carriers is formed.
– The charge density in the depletion region is not zero.
– The carriers which diffuse across the junction recombine with majority
carriers, i.e. they are annihilated.

width=Wdep
 PN Junction diode current – voltage (I-V) characteristics
Semiconductor diode consists of a p-n junction with two
contacts attached to the p- and n- sides

p n
V 0

  qV  
I  I 0 exp    1
  kT  
I0 is usually a very small current, I0 ≈ 10-17 …10-13 A
When the voltage V is negative (“reverse” polarity) the exponential term ≈ -1;
The diode current is ≈ IS ( very small).
When the voltage V is positive (“forward” polarity) the exponential term
increases rapidly with V and the current is high.
P-N Junction - V-I characteristics
Voltage-Current relationship for a p-n junction (diode)

Note: When pn junction is reversed bias practically no

current flows through it ,but a very small current flows
through due to minority charge carriers ,which is known
as saturation current or reverse saturation current .
 Diode Resistance
• A PN junction diode works both with DC and
AC, accordingly it has following two types of
resistances-
• 1. DC or static resistance-
Rdc = V/I
where I = DC Current, V = DC voltage through the diode.
• 2. AC or dynamic resistance-
It is the ratio of change in voltage dV to corresponding change
in current dI.
Thus, Rac = dV/dI
 P-N Junction: A BAND-GAP VIEWPOINT

Electrostatic Potential diagram of the

junction

Properties of an equilibrium p-n junction; (a) Isolated neutral region of p-type

and n-type material and their respective band arrangements and Fermi Levels
(b) The transition region W is having an electric field (ξ) and therefore a
potential V0 (contact potential, which also known as potential barrier)
(See Next Slide for further discussion)
 Explanation for Electrostatic Potential Diagram of previous page:-

An electric field (ξ) is established inside the potential barrier.

Right hand side contains positive charge = High Potential

Left hand side contains negative charge = Low Potential

Therefore, a potential gradient is established in a direction opposite to electric field.

ξ = -dV/dx (a fundamental relation)

Since, ξ = Zero outside the depletion region (towards p-side and n-side)

Therefore, V should be constant in p-side and n-side and should be equal to Vp and Vn .

Now, if we calculate the corresponding energy value from the potential-

For n-side, it is to be multiplied with (-q), therefore it will go down.

For p-side, it is to be multiplied with (+q), therefore it will go up.

 p-n junction diode: A BAND-GAP VIEWPOINT

p- type material n- type material p-n junction

• Since Vn is a higher potential than Vp by amount V0 , the electron energies

in the n-side are lower than those on p side by an amount of qV0.

• The separation of the bands at equilibrium is just that required to make

Fermi Level constant throughout the device.
 Effects of bias on a p-n junction diode: A BAND-GAP
VIEWPOINT

Here V0 is equilibrium
contact potential

The separation of the energy bands is a direct function of the

electrostatic potential barrier at the junction. The height of the
electron energy barrier is simply the electronic charge q times the
height of the potential barrier
 Breakdown of a diode
In Electronics, the term “breakdown” stands for release of
electron-hole pairs in excess.
The critical value of the voltage, at which the breakdown of a
P-N junction diode occurs is called the breakdown voltage.

The breakdown voltage depends on the width of the

depletion region, which, in turn, depends on the doping
level.

There are two mechanisms by which breakdown can occur at a

reverse biased P-N junction:
1. Avlanche Breakdown (uncontrolled)

2. Zener Breakdown (controlled)

 Avalanche breakdown
If the reverse bias is made very high, the thermally generated electrons and
holes get sufficient K.E from applied voltage to break the covalent bonds near
the junction and a large no. of electron-hole pairs are released.
These new carriers, in turn, produce additional carrier again by breaking bonds.
Thus reverse current then increase abruptly and may damage the junction by the
excessive heat generated.

The avalanche breakdown occurs in

lightly doped junctions, which
produce wide depletion layers.

The avalanche breakdown

voltage increases as the temp.
of the junction increases due to
the increased probability of
collisions of electron and holes
with crystal atoms.
 Zener breakdown (controlled)
Zener Breakdown occurs at low voltage (<5 volts) in heavily
doped reverse biased p-n junction.

* Strong electric field directly (without impact of electron)

pull out the electrons from the covalence bond.

* Zener breakdown voltage decreases as the temp. of the

junction increases. Since an increase in temp. increase the energy
of valence electron.
 Working of Zener Diode

At a certain reverse bias voltage (Zener voltage), in heavily doped p-n

diode, the bottom of conduction band in n-region becomes lower
than the top of valence band in p-region.

Electron now “tunnel” directly across the potential barrier from the
valence band in p-region into the conduction band in n-region.
Hence a large reverse current flows.
 Application of Zener diode
• As Voltage Stabilizer-

– The main use of a Zener diode is in voltage

stabilization equipments, as it gives constant
output voltage for a broad range of input voltages.