ECE-342 Test 2: Nov 2, 2010

6:00-8:00, Closed Book

Name :

All solutions must provide units as appropriate. Use the physical constants and data as provided on the formula sheet
(the last page of the exam). Use of rounded values will result in points deductions. Unless otherwise stated, assume
T = 300 K, and assume that all PN junctions are abrupt.

1. A Silicon PN junction diode is fabricated on a 100 µm × 100 µm region using NA = 1015 cm−3 and ND =
1018 cm−3 . Note that for this diode, ND  NA , so that current from one type of charge carrier may be
considered negligible.
The diode is forward biased at a 1 mA current, and a voltage drop of vD = 0.594 V is observed.
(a) (3 pts) Is the majority of the current across the junction due to diffusion or drift?
(b) (3 pts) Is the dominant free charge carrier supporting the current in the junction electrons or holes?
(c) (10 pts) Draw a diagram illustrating the junction. Indicate the n-type and p-type regions. Show on your
diagram:
i. the polarity of the externally applied voltage to create the forward bias.
ii. the depletion region. Indicate the relative sizes of the region on both sides of the metallurgic junction.
iii. the polarity of any uncovered (bound) charge.
iv. the direction of the electric field in the depletion region
v. the direction of movement of the dominant free charge carrier supporting the forward bias current in
the junction.
2. For the diode of problem 1,

(a) (5 pts) Evaluate the reverse-saturation current Is of the diode.

(b) (10 pts) Estimate the diode mean transit time.
(c) (12 pts) Evaluate the junction and diffusion capacitance under the 1 mA forward bias conditions.
Nearly blank page for problem 2
3. Now assume that the diode of problem 1 has a reverse bias voltage of 5 V applied, so that only the diode leakage
current flows.

(a) (3 pts) Has the electric field in the depletion region increased or decreased in strength?
(b) (3 pts) Is the majority of the current across the junction due to diffusion or drift?
(c) (3 pts) Are the dominant free charge carriers supporting the leakage current across the junction electrons
or holes?
(d) (8 pts) Find the junction and diffusion capacitance for the reverse-biased diode.
4. (12 pts) The transistor in the circuit below has β = 30 and exhibits a vBE of 0.6 V at iC = 10 µA. Design the
circuit so that a current of 2 mA flows through the collector and a voltage of +5 V appears at the collector.

5. (12 pts) The terminal voltages of various npn transistors are measured during operation with the results shown
in the table below. For each case, indicate the mode of operation of the transistor.

E B C Mode

0.0 0.7 0.7

0.0 0.8 0.1

-0.7 0.0 0.7

-0.7 0.0 -0.6

-2.7 -2.0 0.0

0.0 0.0 5.0

6. In the circuit below, the voltage vin may be assumed to be positive. Assume that the operational amplifier is
ideal.

(a) (8 pts) Write the output voltage vout in terms of vin , R, the diode pa-
rameters (Is , n), and any applicable physical constants.
(b) (7 pts) Now assume that R = 1 kΩ and that vin (t) changes with time,
oscillating between Vmin and Vmax (both positive voltages). Show how
the peak-to-peak variation in vout changes with temperature. Give a
formula which provides the temperature in ◦ C as a function of the peak-
to-peak output voltage.
(c) (5 pts) Does your result of part 6b depend on the waveform shape of
vin ? R? Is ? n?
 ECE-342 Test 2, Fall 2009 (Last Page)

Si Approximation:
k = 8.62 × 10−5 eV/K ni2 doubles every 5 degrees
= 1.38 × 10−23 J/K
− EG /kT
Periodic Table Segment q = 1.60 × 10−19 coulomb
ni =1.5 x 1010 at 300K n 2i ∝ T 3 e
0 = 8.854 × 10−14 F/cm
EG =1.12 eV
III IV V VT = kT /q = 25.8 mV at 300K
Intrinsic Silicon at 300K:

B C N EG = 1.12 eV r = 11.7
ni = pi = 1.5 × 1010 cm−3
Al Si P µn ≈ 1350 cm2 /V · s
Ga Ge As Dn ≈ 34.8 cm2 /s
µp ≈ 480 cm2 /V · s
In Sn Sb Dp ≈ 12.4 cm2 /s

1400 Charge Movement In Semiconductors

Dn Dp
Carrier Mobility for Silicon, 300K = = VT np = n2i
1200
µn µp
E
1000 Jdrift = pqµp E + nqµn E = q(pµp + nµn )E =
ρ
   
dn dp
Mobility ( cm2/V−sec )

800
Electron Mobility
Jdiff = Dn q − Dp q
dx dx
1 L ρ W 
600 ρ= R=ρ =
q(pµp + nµn ) tW t L
400
Hole Mobility

200

0
15 16 17 18 19 20
10 10 10 10 10 10
Total Impurity Concentration (cm−3)
PN Junctions:

  s      
NA ND 2 1 1 NA ND
V0 = VT ln wD0 = xn0 + xp0 = V0 + xn0 = wD0 xp0 = wD0
n2i q NA ND NA + ND NA + ND
r r r
vD vD vD
wD = wD0 1− xn = xn0 1 − xp = xp0 1 −
V0 V0 V0
    
Dn Dp
iD = n2i qA + evD /VT − 1 = Is evD /VT − 1
Ln NA Lp ND
| {z }
Is

p p A CJ0 τT τT Is VD /VT
Ln = Dn τn Lp = Dp τp CJ = = m CDIFF = ID ≈ e
wD (1 − VD /V0 ) VT VT

npn BJT Voltage/Current Relationships

 
vBE /VT vCE β α VA + VCE
iC = αiE = βiB = IS e 1+ α= β= r0 =
VA β+1 1−α IC