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Lecture-2
Outline
About PN Diode
PN Junction Formation
PN Junction Realization
Barrier height
Thermal equilibrium
Equilibrium
Depletion Approximation
Abrupt junction
PN Junction Bias
Applications
2
pn
The most
device:
junction (Diode)
important
and
commercial
at
the
Surface States
To overcome these surface states
problems
Formation of P N Junction
p-type
n-type
EC
EC
Ef
Ef
EV
EV
EC
E
p-type
n-type
EC
Ef
E
Ef
EV
EV
p-type
n-type
Electron Drift
EC
Electron Diffusion
Neutral p-region
EC
Ef
Ef
EV
Hole Diffussion
Neutral n-region
EV
Hole Drift
Depletion region
7
n-type
+++++
+++++
+++++
+++++
+++++
+++++
+++++
+++++
Electron
Movement
---------------------------------
p-type
Metallurgi
cal
junction
Thermal Equilibrium
J p J p (drift ) J p (diffusion) 0 (1)
A
J p is the hole current density ( 2 )
cm
dp
J p q p pEx qD p
0 (2)
dx
where
1 dEi
Ex
q dx
p kT
Dp
q
( Einstein relation)
10
Thermal Equilibrium
Drift and diffusion currents are flowing all time.
But, in thermal equilibrium, the net current flow
is zero since currents oppose each other.
Under non-equilibrium condition, one of the
current flow mechanism is going to dominate over
the other, resulting a net current flow.
The electrons that want to diffuse from the ntype layoer to p-layer have potential barier.
11
Barrier Height,
Vbi
Vbi
The potential barrier height
accross
a p-n junction
is known as the built-in potential and as the junction
potential.
The potential energy that this potential barrier correspond is
qVbi
Electron energy is positive upwards in the energy
level diagrams, so electron potentials are going to
be measured positive downwards.
The hole energies and potentials are of course
positive in the opposite directions to the electrons
12
Barrier Height
p-type
n-type
EC
Ef
qV p
qVn
EV
EC
Ef
Ei
EV
Depletion region
13
Electron potential
Electron energy
Ei
qVbi
qV p ( Ei E f ) (1)
Vp
kT
NA
ln
q
ni
Ei E f
p ni exp
kT
(2)
Similarly for Vn
Vn
kT
ND
ln
q
ni
(3)
Built-in Potential
When electrons and holes are diffusing from high
concentration to the low concentration region they
both have a potential barrier. However, in drift case
of minority carriers there is no potential barrier.
Built in potential;
kT
N AND
Vbi
ln
2
q
ni
At fixed T , Vbi is determined by the number of N A and N D atoms.
15
Thermal Equilibrium
DR
Neutral
p-region
Current Mechanisms
----
+++
----
+++
----
+++
Neutral
Diffusion
of
the
carriers
cause
an
electric field in DR.
n-region
Field Direction
Hole energuy
Electron energy
Electron Drift
Electron Diffusion
EC
Ef
Hole Diffussion
EV
Hole Drift
Diffusion current is
due to the majority
carriers.
Drift current is due to
the minority carriers.
16
N P Junction Equilibrium
DR
Neutral
+++
----
n-region
+++
----
Neutral
p-region
Electron Drift
Hole energy
Electron energy
+++
---Field Direction
Electron Diffusion
EC
Ef
EV
Hole Diffussion
Hole Drift
17
Depletion Approximation
The charge distribution tails-off into the neutral
regions, i.e. the charge distrubition is not abrupt if
one goes from depletion region into the neutral
region.
This region is called as a transition region and it is
very thin, one can ignore the tail-off region and
consider the change being abrupt. So this
approximation
is
called
as
DEPLETION
APPROXIMATION.
18
p-type
----
+++
----
+++
At
equilibrium,
there is no bias, i.e.
no applied voltage.
n-type
+++
lectric field
Charge
Depletion Approximation
----
+++
area Vbi
----
qVbi
density
Potential
Em
xn
xp
Depletion
dVn
Ev
dx
19
Depletion Approximation
Charge density is negative on p-side and positive on n-side.
Abrupt changes occur at the depletion region (DR)
edges. Such a junction is called as an abrupt junction
since the doping abruptly changes from p- to n-type at the
metallurgical junction (ideal case).
20
Depletion Approximation,
Electric Field Diagram:
The electric field is zero at the edge of the DR
and increases in negative direction.
o At junction charge changes its sign so do electric field
and the magnitude of the field decreases (it increases
positively).
Potential Diagram:
Since the electric field is negative through the
whole depletion region ,DR, the potential will
be positive through the DR.
The potential increases slowly at left hand side but it
increases rapidly on the right hand side.
So the rate of increase of the potential is different an
both sides of the metallurgical junction. This is due to
the change of sign of charge at the junction.
21
Abrupt Junction
Charge density
p-type
----
+++
----
+++
n-type
+++
x
+++
----
N A x p N D xn
----
xp
Depletion
Region
xn
when N A N D xn x p
22
Abrupt Junction
xn and xp is the width of the depletion layer on the n-side
and p-side of the junction, respectively.
x p xn , W x p
N A . x p N D . xn
W = total depletion
region
23
Abrupt Junction
When N A N D xn x p
W xn
1
xn
ND
2 SiVbi N A N D
q( N A N D )
1
xp
NA
2 SiVbi N A N D
q( N A N D )
24
Abrupt Junction
For equal doping densities W xn x p
Total depletion layer width , W
1
1
W (
)
NA
ND
2 SiVbi N A N D
q( N A N D )
2 SiVbi ( N A N D )
qN A N D
25
forward bias
reverse bias
VF forward voltage
n-side
compared
with
VR reverse voltage
the
equilibrium case.
Reduced electron diffusion from nside to p-side compared with the
equilibrium case
Drift current flow is similar to the
equilibrium case.
Overall a very small reverse saturation current flows.
Connect positive terminal to n-side for reverse bias
28
J Total q
Ln
D p pno
qV
qV
exp
1 J o exp
1
L p
kT
kT
multiplying by area ;
qV
I I o exp
1
kT
* This equation is valid for both forward and reverse biases; just change
the sign of V.
29
Diode Curve
qV
I I o exp
1
kT
I Io
Current
Forward Bias
VB
I0
Voltage
VB ; Breakdown voltage
Reverse Bias
31
Junction or Reverse
Breakdown
Zener Breakdown
Zener breakdown occurs at highly doped p-n
junctions with a tunneling mechanism.
33
Avalanche Breakdown
Avalanche breakdown mechanism occurs when
electrons and holes moving through the DR and
acquire sufficient energy from the electric field to
break a bond i.e. create electron-hole pairs
by colliding with atomic electrons within the
depletion region.
The newly created electrons and holes move in
opposite directions due to the electric field and
thereby add to the existing reverse bias
current. This is the most important
breakdown mechanism in p-n junction.
34
Example -1
Solution:
Law of the
junction
35
Example -2
Solution:
(1
)
36
Example -2
Solution
(cont):
E g = 1.12
eV
VA1 = 0.60
37
Example -3
3. What can be said about the relative magnitudes of the two current densities?
38
Example -3
39
Example -3
40
Diode- Applications
Photodiode
41
Diode- Applications
LED- ligth emitting diode
42
Diode- Applications
Varactor/variable
diode
capacitance
43
Diode Types
Thank you!
45