Lecture 6

OUTLINE
Semiconductor Fundamentals (contd)
Continuity equations
Minority carrier diffusion equations
Minority carrier diffusion length
Quasi-Fermi levels

Reading: Pierret 3.4-3.5; Hu 4.7

 Derivation of Continuity Equation
Consider carrier-flux into/out-of an infinitesimal volume:

Area A, volume Adx

Jn(x) Jn(x+dx)
dx

n n
Adx J n ( x) A J n ( x dx) A
1
Adx
t q n

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 2

 J n ( x)
J n ( x dx) J n ( x) dx
x
n 1 J n ( x) n

t q x n

n 1 J n ( x) n
GL
Continuity t q x n
Equations:
p 1 J p ( x) p
GL
t q x p

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 3

 Derivation of
Minority Carrier Diffusion Equations
The minority carrier diffusion equations are derived from
the general continuity equations, and are applicable only for
minority carriers.
Simplifying assumptions:
1. The electric field is small, such that
n n
J n q n n qDn qDn in p-type material
x x
p p
J p q p p qD p qD p in n-type material
x x
2. n0 and p0 are independent of x (i.e. uniform doping)
3. low-level injection conditions prevail
EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 4
 Starting with the continuity equation for electrons:
n 1 J n ( x) n
GL
t q x n
n0 n 1 n0 n n
qDn GL
t q x x n
n n n 2
Dn GL
t x 2
n

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 5

 Carrier Concentration Notation
The subscript n or p is used to explicitly denote n-type or
p-type material, e.g.
pn is the hole (minority-carrier) concentration in n-type matl
np is the electron (minority-carrier) concentration in n-type matl

Thus the minority carrier diffusion equations are

n p 2 n p n p
Dn GL
t x 2
n
pn 2 pn pn
Dp GL
t x 2
p

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 6

 Simplifications (Special Cases)
n p pn
Steady state: 0 0
t t
2 n p 2 pn
No diffusion current: Dn 0 Dp 0
x 2
x 2

No R-G:
n p pn
0 0
n p

No light: GL 0

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 7

 Example
Consider an n-type Si sample illuminated at one end:
constant minority-carrier injection at x = 0 pn (0) pn 0
steady state; no light absorption for x > 0

Lp is the hole diffusion length: L p D p p

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 8
 pn pn
2
The general solution to the equation 2
x 2
Lp
x / Lp
pn ( x) Ae Be
x / Lp
is

where A, B are constants determined by boundary conditions:

pn () 0
pn (0) pn 0
Therefore, the solution is
x / Lp
pn ( x) pn0e
EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 9
 Minority Carrier Diffusion Length
Physically, Lp and Ln represent the average distance that
minority carriers can diffuse into a sea of majority carriers
before being annihilated.

Example: ND = 1016 cm-3; p = 10-6 s

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 10

 Quasi-Fermi Levels
Whenever n = p 0, np ni2. However, we would like to
preserve and use the relations:
( E F Ei ) / kT ( Ei E F ) / kT
n ni e p ni e

These equations imply np = ni2, however. The solution is to

introduce two quasi-Fermi levels FN and FP such that

n ni e ( FN Ei ) / kT p ni e ( Ei FP ) / kT

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 11

 Example: Quasi-Fermi Levels
Consider a Si sample with ND = 1017 cm-3 and n = p = 1014 cm-3.
What are p and n ?

What is the np product ?

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 12

 Find FN and FP :
n
FN Ei kT ln
ni

p
FP Ei kT ln
ni

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 13

 Summary
The continuity equations are established based on
conservation of carriers, and therefore hold generally:
n 1 J n ( x) n p 1 J n ( x) p
GL GL
t q x n t q x p
The minority carrier diffusion equations are derived from
the continuity equations, specifically for minority carriers
under certain conditions (small E-field, low-level injection,
uniform doping profile):
n p 2 n p n p pn 2 pn pn
DN GL DP GL
t x 2
n t x 2
p

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 14