Chapter 2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors

 2.1 Semiconductor materials and their properties

 2.2 PN-junction diodes

 2.3 Reverse Breakdown

1
 Semiconductor Physics

 Semiconductor devices serve as heart of microelectronics.

 PN junction is the most fundamental semiconductor
device.

CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 2

 Charge Carriers in Semiconductor

 To understand PN junction’s IV characteristics, it is

important to understand charge carriers’ behavior in solids,
how to modify carrier densities, and different mechanisms
of charge flow.

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 Periodic Table

 This abridged table contains elements with three to five

valence electrons, with Si being the most important.

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 Silicon

 Si has four valence electrons. Therefore, it can form

covalent bonds with four of its neighbors.
 When temperature goes up, electrons in the covalent bond
can become free.

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 Electron-Hole Pair Interaction

 With free electrons breaking off covalent bonds, holes are

generated.
 Holes can be filled by absorbing other free electrons, so
effectively there is a flow of charge carriers.

CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 6

 Free Electron Density at a Given Temperature

 Eg
ni  5.2 10 T exp 15 3/ 2
electrons / cm3
2kT
ni (T  3000 K )  1.08 1010 electrons / cm3
ni (T  600 0 K )  1.54 1015 electrons / cm3

 Eg, or bandgap energy determines how much effort is

needed to break off an electron from its covalent bond.
 There exists an exponential relationship between the free-
electron density and bandgap energy.

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 Doping (N type)

 Pure Si can be doped with other elements to change its

electrical properties.
 For example, if Si is doped with P (phosphorous), then it
has more electrons, or becomes type N (electron).

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 Doping (P type)

 If Si is doped with B (boron), then it has more holes, or

becomes type P.

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 Summary of Charge Carriers

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 Electron and Hole Densities

np  ni
2

Majority Carriers : p  NA
2
n
Minority Carriers : n i
NA
Majority Carriers : n  ND
2
n
Minority Carriers : p i
ND

 The product of electron and hole densities is ALWAYS

equal to the square of intrinsic electron density regardless
of doping levels.

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 First Charge Transportation Mechanism: Drift

 
vh   p E
 
ve    n E

 The process in which charge particles move because of an

electric field is called drift.
 Charge particles will move at a velocity that is proportional
to the electric field.

CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 12

 Current Flow: General Case

I  v W  h  n  q

 Electric current is calculated as the amount of charge in v

meters that passes thru a cross-section if the charge travel
with a velocity of v m/s.
CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 13
 Current Flow: Drift

J n  n E  n  q
J tot   n E  n  q   p E  p  q
 q(  n n   p p) E

 Since velocity is equal to E, drift characteristic is obtained

by substituting V with E in the general current equation.
 The total current density consists of both electrons and
holes.

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 Velocity Saturation

0

1  bE
0
vsat 
b
0
v  E
0 E
1
vsat
 A topic treated in more advanced courses is velocity
saturation.
 In reality, velocity does not increase linearly with electric
field. It will eventually saturate to a critical value.

CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 15

 Second Charge Transportation Mechanism:
Diffusion

 Charge particles move from a region of high concentration

to a region of low concentration. It is analogous to an every
day example of an ink droplet in water.
CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 16
 Current Flow: Diffusion

dn dp
I  AqDn J p  qD p
dx dx
dn dn dp
J n  qDn J tot  q ( Dn  Dp )
dx dx dx

 Diffusion current is proportional to the gradient of charge

(dn/dx) along the direction of current flow.
 Its total current density consists of both electrons and
holes.

CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 17

 Example: Linear vs. Nonlinear Charge Density
Profile

dn N dn  qDn N x
J n  qDn  qDn  J n  qD  exp
dx L dx Ld Ld

 Linear charge density profile means constant diffusion

current, whereas nonlinear charge density profile means
varying diffusion current.

CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 18

 Einstein's Relation

D kT

 q

 While the underlying physics behind drift and diffusion

currents are totally different, Einstein’s relation provides a
mysterious link between the two.

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 PN Junction (Diode)

 When N-type and P-type dopants are introduced side-by-

side in a semiconductor, a PN junction or a diode is formed.

CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 20

 Diode’s Three Operation Regions

 In order to understand the operation of a diode, it is

necessary to study its three operation regions: equilibrium,
reverse bias, and forward bias.

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 Current Flow Across Junction: Diffusion

 Because each side of the junction contains an excess of

holes or electrons compared to the other side, there exists
a large concentration gradient. Therefore, a diffusion
current flows across the junction from each side.
CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 22
 Depletion Region

 As free electrons and holes diffuse across the junction, a

region of fixed ions is left behind. This region is known as
the “depletion region.”

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 Current Flow Across Junction: Drift

 The fixed ions in depletion region create an electric field

that results in a drift current.

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 Current Flow Across Junction: Equilibrium

I drift , p  I diff , p
I drift ,n  I diff ,n

 At equilibrium, the drift current flowing in one direction

cancels out the diffusion current flowing in the opposite
direction, creating a net current of zero.
 The figure shows the charge profile of the PN junction.

CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 25

 Built-in Potential

dp dV dp
q p pE  qD p  p p  Dp
dx dx dx
x p
dp Dp p p
 p  dV D p 
2 n

V ( x2 )  V ( x1 )  ln
x 1 p p p  p pn
kT p p kT N A N D
V0  ln ,V0  ln 2
q pn q ni

 Because of the electric field across the junction, there

exists a built-in potential. Its derivation is shown above.

CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 26

 Diode in Reverse Bias

 When the N-type region of a diode is connected to a higher

potential than the P-type region, the diode is under reverse
bias, which results in wider depletion region and larger
built-in electric field across the junction.
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 Reverse Biased Diode’s Application: Voltage-
Dependent Capacitor

 The PN junction can be viewed as a capacitor. By varying

VR, the depletion width changes, changing its capacitance
value; therefore, the PN junction is actually a voltage-
dependent capacitor.
CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 28
 Voltage-Dependent Capacitance

C j0
Cj 
V
1 R
V0
 si q N A N D 1
C j0 
2 N A  N D V0

 The equations that describe the voltage-dependent

capacitance are shown above.

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 Voltage-Controlled Oscillator

1 1
f res 
2 LC

 A very important application of a reverse-biased PN

junction is VCO, in which an LC tank is used in an
oscillator. By changing VR, we can change C, which also
changes the oscillation frequency.

CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 30

 Diode in Forward Bias

 When the N-type region of a diode is at a lower potential

than the P-type region, the diode is in forward bias.
 The depletion width is shortened and the built-in electric
field decreased.

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 Minority Carrier Profile in Forward Bias

p p ,e
pn , e 
V0
exp
VT

p p, f
pn , f 
V0  VF
exp
VT

 Under forward bias, minority carriers in each region

increase due to the lowering of built-in field/potential.
Therefore, diffusion currents increase to supply these
minority carriers.
CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 32
 Diffusion Current in Forward Bias

ND V NA V
n p  (exp F  1) pn  (exp F  1)
V VT V VT
exp 0 exp 0
VT VT
NA V ND V
I tot  (exp F  1)  (exp F  1)
V0 V V0 VT
exp T exp
VT VT
VF Dn Dp
I s  Aqni ( 
2
I tot  I s (exp  1) )
VT N A Ln N D L p

 Diffusion current will increase in order to supply the

increase in minority carriers. The mathematics are shown
above.

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 Minority Charge Gradient

 Minority charge profile should not be constant along the x-

axis; otherwise, there is no concentration gradient and no
diffusion current.
 Recombination of the minority carriers with the majority
carriers accounts for the dropping of minority carriers as
they go deep into the P or N region.
CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 34
 Forward Bias Condition: Summary

 In forward bias, there are large diffusion currents of

minority carriers through the junction. However, as we go
deep into the P and N regions, recombination currents from
the majority carriers dominate. These two currents add up
to a constant value.

CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 35

 IV Characteristic of PN Junction

VD
I D  I S (exp  1)
VT

 The current and voltage relationship of a PN junction is

exponential in forward bias region, and relatively constant
in reverse bias region.

CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 36

 Parallel PN Junctions

 Since junction currents are proportional to the junction’s

cross-section area. Two PN junctions put in parallel are
effectively one PN junction with twice the cross-section
area, and hence twice the current.

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 Constant-Voltage Diode Model

 Diode operates as an open circuit if VD< VD,on and a

constant voltage source of VD,on if VD tends to exceed VD,on.

CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 38

 Example: Diode Calculations

IX
VX  I X R1  VD  I X R1  VT ln
IS
I X  2.2mA for VX  3V
I X  0.2mA for VX  1V

 This example shows the simplicity provided by a constant-

voltage model over an exponential model.
 For an exponential model, iterative method is needed to
solve for current, whereas constant-voltage model requires
only linear equations.

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 Reverse Breakdown

 When a large reverse bias voltage is applied, breakdown

occurs and an enormous current flows through the diode.

CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 40

 Zener vs. Avalanche Breakdown

 Zener breakdown is a result of the large electric field inside

the depletion region that breaks electrons or holes off their
covalent bonds.
 Avalanche breakdown is a result of electrons or holes
colliding with the fixed ions inside the depletion region.
CH2 Basic Physics of Semiconductors 41