Electronic Design

Semiconductor and PN junction

Minh Thuy LE
Department of Instrumentation and Industrial Informatics (3I),
School of Electrical Engineering (SEE),
Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), Vietnam

[email protected]

10/2022 1
Contents
1. Semiconductor
2. PN junction
3. Breakdown

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Semiconductor

Figure 1: Semiconductor material

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Semiconductor
• Silicon

Figure 2: Silicon crystal illustration (1)

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

covalent bonds with four of its neighbors
o When temperature goes up, electrons in the
covalent bond can become free
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Semiconductor
• Electron-Hole Pair Interaction

Figure 3: Silicon crystal illustration (2)

o With free electrons breaking off the covalent bonds,

holes are generated
o Holes can be filled by absorbing other free elctrons,
so effectively there is a flow of charge carriers
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Semiconductor
• Free Electron Density at a Given Temperature
3 𝐸𝑔
𝑛𝑖 = 5.2 ∗ 1015 𝑇 2 exp − 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑠/𝑐𝑚3 (1)
2𝑘𝑇
𝑛𝑖 𝑇 = 300°𝐾 = 1.08 ∗ 1010 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑠/𝑐𝑚3
(2)
𝑛𝑖 𝑇 = 600°𝐾 = 1.54 ∗ 1010 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑠/𝑐𝑚3 (3)
o 𝐸𝑔 or bandgap energy determines how much effort is
needed to break off an electron from its covalent
bond.
o 𝑘 is Boltzmann constant (1.38 ∗ 10−23 𝐽/𝐾)
o 𝑇 is temperature (°𝐾)
o There exists an exponential relationship between the
free electron density and bandgap energy
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Semiconductor
• Doping
o Pure Si can be doped with
other elements to change its
electrical properties.
o For example, if Si is doped
with P (phosphorous), then it a. N type
has more electrons, or
becomes type N (electron)
o If Si is doped with B, then it
has more holes, or becomes
type P
b. P type
Figure 4: Doping crystal
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 Semiconductor
• Intrinsic
Semiconductor and
Extrinsic
Semiconductor

Figure 5: Intrinsic
Semiconductor and
Extrinsic Semiconductor

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Semiconductor
• Electron and Hole Densities
𝑛𝑝 = 𝑛𝑖2
Major Carriers: 𝑝 ≈ 𝑁𝐴
𝑛𝑖2
Minority Carriers: 𝑛 ≈
𝑁𝐴
Majority Carriers: 𝑛 ≈ 𝑁𝐷
𝑛𝑖2
Minority Carriers: 𝑝 ≈
𝑁𝐷
o 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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Semiconductor
• Charge Transportation Mechanism: Drift

→ →
o 𝑣ℎ = 𝜇𝑝 𝐸
→
|𝑣𝑒 = −𝜇𝑛 𝐸

o The process in which charge particles move because

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

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Semiconductor
• Drift Current in Semiconductor

𝐼 = −𝑣 ∗ 𝑊 ∗ ℎ ∗ 𝑛 ∗ 𝑞
o 𝑞: electron charge (1.62 ∗ 10−19 𝐶)
o 𝑛: free electron charge density
o −𝑣 ∗ 𝑊 ∗ ℎ: volumn

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Semiconductor
• Drift Current in Semiconductor
𝐽𝑛 = 𝜇𝑛 𝐸 ∗ 𝑛 ∗ 𝑞
𝐽𝑡𝑜𝑡 = 𝜇𝑛 𝐸 ∗ 𝑛 ∗ 𝑞 + 𝜇𝑝 𝐸 ∗ 𝑝 ∗ 𝑞
= 𝑞 𝜇𝑛 𝑛 + 𝜇𝑝 𝑝 𝐸
Where:
o 𝐽𝑛 : current density (electron), 𝐴/𝑐𝑚
2

o 𝐽𝑝 : current density (hole), 𝐴/𝑐𝑚

2

o 𝐽𝑡𝑜𝑡 : current density by electric field 𝐸 in a

semiconductor that has uniform electric and hole
density

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Semiconductor
• Drift Current in Semiconductor
𝜇
𝜇= 0
1+𝑏𝐸
𝜇0
𝑣𝑠𝑎𝑡 =
𝑏
𝜇0
𝑣= 𝜇 𝐸𝐸
1+ 0
𝑣𝑚
o In reality, velocity does not increase linearly with
electric field. It will eventually saturate to a critical
value
o 𝜇0 , 𝜇: mobility of electron at low electric field and
electric field E
o 𝑣𝑠𝑎𝑡 : saturated velocity

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Semiconductor
• Diffusion

o Charge particles move from a region of high

concentration to a region of low concentration.
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Semiconductor
• Diffusion
𝑑𝑛 𝑑𝑝
𝐼 = 𝐴𝑞𝐷𝑛 𝐽𝑝 = −𝑞𝐷𝑝
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑛 𝐽𝑡𝑜𝑡
𝐽𝑛 = 𝑞𝐷𝑛
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑛 𝑑𝑝
= 𝑞 𝐷𝑛 − 𝐷𝑝
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑛
o : gradient of current density
𝑑𝑥
o 𝐴: Semiconductor cross section
o 𝐷: diffusion coefficient
o 𝐽: current density

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 Semiconductor
• Diffusion: Example

𝑁 𝑑𝑝
𝑛 𝑥 =− 𝑥+𝑁 𝐽𝑝 = −𝑞𝐷𝑝
𝐿 𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑛 𝑑𝑛 𝑞𝐷𝑛 𝑁 −𝐿𝑥
𝐽𝑛 = 𝑞𝐷𝑛 𝐽𝑛 = 𝑞𝐷 =− 𝑒 𝑑
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝐿𝑑
⇒ Linear density ⇔constant ⇒Nonlinear density ⇔ varying
diffusion current diffusion current

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Semiconductor
• Einstein’s Relation

𝐷 𝑘𝑇
• =
𝜇 𝑞
o Einstein’s relation providing the relation between
drift and diffusion coefficient

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Semiconductor
• Einstein’s Relation

𝐷 𝑘𝑇
• =
𝜇 𝑞
o Einstein’s relation providing the relation between
drift and diffusion coefficient

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PN junction (Diode)

o When N-type and P-type dopants are introduced by

side-by-side in a semiconductor, a PN junction or a
diode is formed.
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PN junction (Diode)
• Diode’s Three Operation Regions

o In order to understand the operation if a diode, it is

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

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PN junction (Diode)
• Current Flow Across Junction: Diffusion

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PN junction (Diode)
• Depletion Region

o 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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PN junction (Diode)
• Depletion Region

o The fixed ions in depletion region create an electric

field that results in a drift current
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PN junction (Diode)
• Current Flow Across Junction: Equilibrium
𝐽𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑡,𝑝 = 𝐼𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓,𝑝
𝐽𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑓𝑡,𝑛 = 𝐼𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓,𝑛

o 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.
o This figure shows the charge profile of the PN
junction
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PN junction (Diode)
• Built-in Potential
𝑑𝑝 𝑑𝑉 𝑑𝑝
𝑞𝜇𝑝 𝑃𝐸 = −𝑞𝐷𝑝 −𝜇𝑝 𝑝 = −𝐷𝑝
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑥2 𝑝𝑛 𝐷𝑝 𝑝𝑝
𝑑𝑝
𝜇𝑃 න 𝑑𝑉 = 𝐷𝑝 න 𝑉 𝑥2 − 𝑉 𝑥1 = ln
𝑥1 𝑝𝑝 𝑝 𝜇𝑝 𝑝𝑛
𝑘𝑇 𝑝𝑝 𝑘𝑇 𝑁 𝑁
o 𝑉0 = ln , 𝑉0 = ln 𝐴 2 𝐷
𝑞 𝑝𝑛 𝑞 𝑛𝑖

o Because of the electric field across the junction,

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

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PN junction (Diode)
• Built-in Potential
o 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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PN junction (Diode)
• Reverse Biased Diode’s Application

o 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.
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PN junction (Diode)
• Reverse Biased Diode’s Application
𝐶𝑗0
• 𝐶𝑗 = 𝑉
1+ 𝑅
𝑉0
𝜖𝑠𝑖 𝑞 𝑁𝐴 𝑁𝐷 1
• 𝐶𝑗0 =
2 𝑁𝐴 +𝑁𝐷 𝑉0

o 𝑉𝑅 : reverse biased voltage (negative value)

o 𝑉0 : built-in voltage (at equilibrium value)

o 𝐶𝑗0 : capacitance with 𝑉𝑅 = 0

o 𝜖𝑠𝑖 : permittivity of silicon (11.7 ∗ 8.85 ∗ 10

−14 𝐹/
𝑐𝑚)
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PN junction (Diode)
• Diode in Forward Bias

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

potential than the P-type region, the diode is in
forward bias
o The depletion width is shortened, and the built-in
electric field decreased
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PN junction (Diode)
• Diffusion Current in Forward Bias
𝑁𝐷 𝑉 𝑁𝐴 𝑉
Δ𝑛𝑝 = 𝑉 exp 𝑉𝐹 − 1 Δ𝑝𝑛 = 𝑉 exp 𝑉𝐹 − 1
exp 0 𝑇 exp 0 𝑇
𝑉𝑇 𝑉𝑇
𝑁𝐴 𝑉 𝑁𝐷 𝑉
𝐼𝑡𝑜𝑡 ∝ 𝑉 exp 𝑉𝐹 − 1 + 𝑉 exp 𝑉𝐹 − 1
exp 0 𝑇 exp 0 𝑇
𝑉𝑇 𝑉𝑇
𝑉𝐹 𝐷𝑛 𝐷𝑝
𝐼𝑡𝑜𝑡 = 𝐼𝑠 exp 𝑉 − 1 𝐼𝑠 = 𝐴𝑞𝑛𝑖2 (𝑁 +𝑁 )
𝑇 𝐴 𝐿𝑛 𝐷 𝐿𝑝

o Diffusion current will increase in order to supply the

increase in minority carriers. The mathematics are shown
above

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PN junction (Diode)
• IV Characteristic of PN junction

𝑉
𝐼𝐷 = 𝐼𝑆 exp 𝑉𝐷 − 1
𝑇

o The current and voltage relationship of a PN junction is

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

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PN junction (Diode)
• Constant-Voltage Diode Model

o Diod operates as an open circuit if 𝑉𝐷 < 𝑉𝐷,𝑜𝑛 and a

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

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Breakdown
• Reverse Breakdown

o When a large reverse bias voltage is applied, breakdown occurs

and an enormous current flows through the diode.

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Breakdown
• Zener vs. Avalanche Breakdown

o Zener breakdown is a result of the large electric filed inside

the depletion region that breaks electrons or holes off their
covalent bonds.
o Avalanche breakdown is a result of electron or holes
colliding with the fixed ions inside the depletion region
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Exercise
• Exercise 1: An N-type homogenous semiconductor
have the length of 1𝜇𝑚 and a voltage of 1V on both
ends. Find the speed of electron in the
semiconductor.
• Exercise 2: In order to make the drifting current of
holes and electron to be the same, what is the
required density of holes and electron?
• Exercise 3: the PN junction of Silicon have 𝑁𝐴 = 2 ∗
1016 𝑐𝑚−3 , 𝑁𝐷 = 𝑎 ∗ 1016 𝑐𝑚−3 . Calculate the built-in
potential at room temperature (𝑇 = 300°𝐾).
Knowing 𝑛𝑖 (𝑇 = 300°𝐾) = 1.08 ∗ 1010 𝑐𝑚−3

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