Assignment - 1

Solar Cells, EE5343 (no need to submit, refresher)

Q.1. (i) How does the intrinsic carrier concentration depend on temperature? Does it depend on
external doping concentration?

(ii) Plot temperature vs. electron concentration for an N-type semiconductor with donor
concentration 1015/cm3. Show all the three regions of

(a) Partial Ionization region (Freeze out range)

(b) Extrinsic region (Saturation range)

(c) Intrinsic region

Explain the nature of curve qualitatively.

Q.2. Prove that ,

EFi = (Ec +Ev )/2 + {kT ln(Nv/Nc)}/2 for an intrinsic semiconductor, where EFi = Fermi energy
level for an intrinsic semiconductor.

Find deviation of intrinsic Fermi energy level from midgap { (Ec +Ev )/2} energy level for

(i) mh* = me*

(ii) mh* = 2me*

Q3. 1016 per cm3 phosphorus atoms are introduced in Si giving rise to a donor level ED.
Assuming Eg=1.1eV, NC=2.8x1019(T/300)1.5 cm-3, NV=1.0x1019(T/300)1.5 cm-3, EC-ED=45meV,
ni for Si = 1.5x1010 cm-3, and kT=26meV at 300K, find the values of:

(a) nn0 at 300K.

(b) nn0 at 20K.

(c) EF at 300K.

(d) EF at 20K.

Q4. A linearly graded junction with a doping distribution described by Nd -Na = ax, where 'a' is
the grade constant denoting the slope of net impurity distribution.

(a) Derive the expression for space dependence of:

(i) Electric field (x)

(ii) Electro static potential variation V(x)

 (iii) Depletion width (Wd)

Q5. An ideal silicon pn junction at T=300K is under forward bias. The minority carrier lifetime
is n=10-6 sec and p=10-7 sec. The doping concentration in the n-region is Nd=1016 cm-3. Plot
the ratio of the hole current to the total current crossing the space charge region (depletion layer)
as the p region doping concentration varies over the range 1015 < Na < 1018 cm-3. (Use a log scale
for the doping concentrations)

Q6. For a silicon pn junction at T=300K, assume p=0.1n and n=2.4p. The ratio of the
electron current crossing the depletion region to the total current is defined as the electron
injection efficiency. Determine the expression for the electron injection efficiency as a function
of (a) Nd/Na and (b) the ratio of the n-type conductivity to the p-type conductivity.

Q7. Recombination rate of electrons and holes in the space charge region of a p-n junction is
given by the equation:

2 ( 1)
=

[ + exp( )] + [ + exp( )]

(i) Using suitable assumptions (state the assumptions clearly); prove that the generation
current density in the reverse biased condition is

=
20
1 1
Where, = = 0 , w = width of the space charge region.

(ii) Find the ratio between the generation current density and the ideal reverse saturation
current density and comment on the result.

[ given that: NA = ND = 1016/cm3, ni = 1.5 x 1010/cm3, Dn = 25 cm2/s, Dp = 10 cm2/s, = =

0 = 5x10-7 s. ]
Q8. For a p-n junction diode under forward bias V, do the following:
a) Write the equations for excess carrier concentrations at depletion region edges (p and n) in
terms of applied bias V.
b) Assuming that minority carrier current is only due to diffusion, write the equations for
electron and hole current densities (Jn and Jp) at the p-side and n-side depletion region edges
respectively.
c) Neglecting the recombination current in the depletion region, write equation for the total
current density (J) at any point in the diode in terms of applied bias and doping densities.
(Assume that low-level injection approximation is valid)