Microelectronics

Circuit Analysis and Design

Donald A. Neamen

Chapter 1

Semiconductor Materials and Devices

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-1

McGraw-Hill
In this chapter, we will:
Gain a basic understanding of semiconductor material
properties
Two types of charged carriers that exist in a semiconductor
Two mechanisms that generate currents in a semiconductor
Determine the properties of a pn junction
Ideal currentvoltage characteristics of a pn junction diode
Examine dc analysis techniques for diode circuits using
various models to describe the nonlinear diode
characteristics
Develop an equivalent circuit for a diode that is used when
a small, time-varying signal is applied to a diode circuit
Gain an understanding of the properties and characteristics
of a few specialized diodes
Design a simple electronic thermometer using the
temperature characteristics of a diode

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-2

McGraw-Hill
 Intrinsic Semiconductors

Ideally 100% pure material

Elemental semiconductors
Silicon (Si)
Most common semiconductor used today
Germanium (Ge)
First semiconductor used in p-n diodes

Compound semiconductors
Gallium Arsenide (GaAs)

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-3

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 Silicon (Si)

Covalent bonding of one Si atom with four other Si atoms to

form tetrahedral unit cell.
Valence electrons available at edge of crystal to bond to
additional Si atoms.
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-4
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 Effect of Temperature

At 0K, no bonds are broken. As temperature increases, a bond can

break, releasing a valence electron and
Si is an insulator. leaving a broken bond (hole).
Current can flow.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-5

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 Energy Band
Diagram

Ev Maximum energy of a valence electron or hole

Ec Minimum energy of a free electron
Eg Energy required to break the covalent bond

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-6

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 Movement of Holes

A valence electron in a
nearby bond can move to
fill the broken bond,
making it appear as if the
hole shifted locations.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-7

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 Intrinsic Carrier Concentration
Eg

ni BT e 32 2 kT

B coefficient related to specific semiconductor

T temperature in Kelvin
Eg semiconductor bandgap energy
k Boltzmanns constant

3
ni ( Si,300 K ) 1.5 x10 cm 10

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-8

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 Extrinsic Semiconductors

Impurity atoms replace some of the atoms in

crystal

Column V atoms in Si are called donor impurities.

Column III in Si atoms are called acceptor

impurities.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-9

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 Phosphorous Donor Impurity in Si

Phosphorous (P) replaces a Si atom and forms four covalent bonds with
other Si atoms.
The fifth outer shell electron of P is easily freed to become a conduction
band electron, adding to the number of electrons available to conduct
current.
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-10
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 Boron Acceptor Impurity in Si

Boron (B) replaces a Si atom and forms only three covalent bonds with
other Si atoms.
The missing covalent bond is a hole, which can begin to move through
the crystal when a valence electron from another Si atom is taken to form
the fourth B-Si bond.
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-11
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 Electron and Hole Concentrations

n = electron concentration
p = hole concentration
n n p
2
i

n-type:

n = ND, the donor concentration p ni2 / N D

p-type:
p = NA, the acceptor concentration
n ni2 / N A

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-12

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 Drift Currents

Electrons and hole flow in opposite directions when under the

influence of an electric field at different velocities.
The drift currents associated with the electrons and holes are in
the same direction.
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-13
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 Diffusion Currents

Both electrons and holes flow from high concentration to low.

The diffusion current associated with the electrons flows in the

opposite direction when compared to that of the holes.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-14

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 p-n Junctions
A simplified 1-D sketch of a p-n
junction (a) has a doping profile
(b).
The 3-D representation (c) shows
the cross sectional area of the
junction.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-15

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 Built-in Potential

This movement of
carriers creates a
space charge or
depletion region
with an induced
electric field near
x = 0.
A potential
voltage, vbi, is
developed across
the junction.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-16

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 Reverse Bias

Increase in space-charge width, W, as VR increases to VR+VR.

Creation of more fixed charges (-Q and +Q) leads to junction
capacitance.
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-17
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 Forward Biased
p-n Junction

Applied voltage, vD, induces an electric field, EA, in the opposite

direction as the original space-charge electric field, resulting in a
smaller net electric field and smaller barrier between n and p
regions.
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-18
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 Minority Carrier Concentrations

Gradients in minority carrier concentration generates

diffusion currents in diode when forward biased.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-19

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 Ideal
Current-Voltage
(I-V)
Characteristics
The p-n junction only
conducts significant
current in the forward-
bias region.
iD is an exponential
function in this region.
Essentially no current
flows in reverse bias.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-20

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 Ideal Diode Equation
A fit to the I-V characteristics of a diode yields the
following equation, known as the ideal diode
equation: qvD

I D I s (e nkT
1)
kT/q is also known as the thermal voltage, VT.
VT = 25.9 mV when T = 300K, room temperature.
vD

I D I s (e VT
1)
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-21
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 Ideal Diode Equation

log e
log(iD ) vD log( I s )
nVT

The y intercept is equal to IS.

The slope is proportional to 1/n.
When n = 1, iD increased by ~ one
order of magnitude for every 60-mV
increase in vD.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-22

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 Circuit Symbol

Conventional current direction and polarity of voltage

drop is shown

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-23

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 Breakdown Voltage

The magnitude of the

breakdown voltage (BV)
is smaller for heavily
doped diodes as
compared to more lightly
doped diodes.
Current through a diode
increases rapidly once
breakdown has occurred.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-24

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 Transient Response

Short reverse-going current pulse flows when the diode is

switched from forward bias to zero or reverse bias as the excess
minority carriers are removed.
It is composed of a storage time, ts, and a fall time, tf.
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-25
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 dc Model of Ideal Diode

Equivalent Circuits

Assumes vbi = 0.
No current flows when reverse biased (b).
No internal resistance to limit current when forward biased (c).
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-26
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 Half-Wave Diode
Rectifier

Diode only allows current to flow through the resistor when

vI 0V. Forward-bias equivalent circuit is used to determine
vO under this condition.
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-27
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 Graphical Analysis Technique

Simple diode circuit where ID and VD are not known.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-28

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 Load Line Analysis

The x intercept of the load line is

the open circuit voltage and the
y intercept is the short circuit
current.
The quiescent point or Q-point is
the intersection of diode I-V
characteristic with the load line.
I-V characteristics of diode must
be known.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-29

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 Piecewise Linear Model

Two linear
approximations are
used to form piecewise
linear model of diode.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-30

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 Diode Piecewise Equivalent Circuit

The diode is replaced by a battery with voltage, V, with a a

resistor, rf, in series when in the on condition (a) and is
replaced by an open when in the off condition, VD < V.
If rf = 0, VD = V when the diode is conducting.
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-31
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 Q-point

The x intercept of the load line is the open circuit voltage and the
y intercept is the short circuit current.
The Q-point is dependent on the power supply voltage and the
resistance of the rest of the circuit as well as on the diode I-V
characteristics.
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-32
McGraw-Hill
 Load Line:
Reverse Biased Diode

The Q-point is always ID = 0 and VD = the open circuit voltage

when using the piecewise linear equivalent circuit.
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-33
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 PSpice Analysis

Circuit schematic

Diode voltage Diode current

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-34

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 ac Circuit Analysis

Combination of dc and sinusoidal input voltages

modulate the operation of the diode about the Q-point.
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-35
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 Equivalent Circuits

When ac signal is small, the dc operation can be decoupled from

the ac operation.
First perform dc analysis using the dc equivalent circuit (a).
Then perform the ac analysis using the ac equivalent circuit (b).
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-36
McGraw-Hill
 Minority Carrier Concentration

Time-varying excess
charge leads to
diffusion capacitance.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-37

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 Small Signal Equivalent Model

Simplified model,
which can only be
used when the
diode is forward
biased.

Complete model

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-38

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 Photogenerated Current

When the energy of the photons is greater than Eg, the photons
energy can be used to break covalent bonds and generate an equal
number of electrons and holes to the number of photons absorbed.
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-39
McGraw-Hill
 Optical Transmission
System

LED (Light Emitting Diode) and photodiode are p-n junctions.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-40

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 Schottky Barrier Diode

A metal layer replaces the

p region of the diode.

Circuit symbol showing

conventional current
direction of current and
polarity of voltage drop.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-41

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 Comparison of I-V Characteristics:
Forward Bias

The built-in voltage of the

Schottky barrier diode,
V(SB), is about as large
as the built-in voltage of the
p-n junction diode, V(pn),.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-42

McGraw-Hill
 Zener Diode
I-V Characteristics
Circuit Symbol

Usually operated in reverse bias

region near the breakdown or
Zener voltage, VZ.
Note the convention for current
and polarity of voltage drop.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-43

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 Example 1.13
Given VZ = 5.6V
rZ = 0
Find a value for R such
that the current through
the diode is limited to
3mA
VPS VZ
I
R
VPS VZ 10V 5.6V
R 1.47 k
I 3mA
PZ I ZV Z 3mA 5.6V 1.68mW

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-44

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 Test Your Understanding 1.15
Given V (pn) = 0.7V
V (SB) = 0.3V
rf = 0 for both diodes
Calculate ID in each diode.

VPS V
I
R
4V 0.7V
I 0.825mA for the p - n junction diode
4k
4V 0.3V
I 0.925mA for the Schottky diode
4k

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-45

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 Digital Thermometer
Use the temperature dependence of the
forward-bias characteristics to design a
simple electronic thermometer.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-46

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 Solution
Given: IS = 10-13 A at T = 300K E g e 1.12V
Assume: Ideal diode equation can be simplified.
VD Eg VD

I D I Se VT
ni2 e kT
e VT

Eg eVD1

I D1 e kT1 e kT1
E g eV
I D2 D2

e kT2 e kT2
E g T2 Eg T2 T2 T2
VD 2 ( ) VD1 ( ) 1.12(1 ) VD1 ( )
e T1 e T1 T1 T1
VD
15V VD
ID I Se VT

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-47

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 Thermometer cont
VD
15V VD 13
ID 10 A e at T 300K
VT

15 x10
3

Through trial and error : VD 0.5976V and I D 0.960mA

To find temperature dependence, let T1 300K.
T
VD 1.12 0.522( )V
300

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-48

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 Variation on Problem 1.42
Using the piecewise model
First, determine if the diodes are on or
off. Is the open circuit voltage for each
diode greater or less than VV and
have the correct polarity?

VI = 5V

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-49

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 Variation cont
a) Test what would happen if D3 was not conducting:
If there enough voltage available to turn on D1 and D2?
The power supply is +5V and is attached on the p side of D1.
The n side of D1 is attached to the p side of D2.
So, there is sufficient voltage and with the correct polarity
from the power supply to turn on both diodes.

A check to verify that both diodes are conducting the

open circuit voltage for each diode is equal to 5V, which
means that the load line will intersect the conducting section
of the diodes piecewise model

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-50

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 Variation cont

b) Next question, if current flows through the 1k

resistor with D1 and D2 on, is the voltage drop greater
than or equal to V?

If D3 is open, the voltage drop across the 1k resistor is:

VR 5V 0.65V 0.65V 3.7V

Therefore, there is sufficient voltage to turn D3 on.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-51

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 Problem 1.44

First, determine if the diode is on or

off. Is the open circuit voltage for
the diode greater or less than V?

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-52

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The voltage at the node connected to the p side of the diode is

2kW 5V/(4kW) = 2.5V

The voltage at the node connected to n side of the diode is

2kW 5V/(5kW) = 2V

The open circuit voltage is equal to the voltage at the p side minus
the voltage at the n side of the diode:

Voc = 2.5V 2V = 0.5V.

To turn on the diode, Voc must be V.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-53

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 Variation on Problems
Create a piecewise model for a device that has the following
I-V characteristics

Piecewise models:
VI < 2V, ID = 0

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-54

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 Variation cont

When VI 2V

V = 2V

10V 2V
rf 800
10mA

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-55

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 Variation on Problems

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-56

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 Variation cont

For -0.7V < VI < 0.7V, II = 0

The device under test (DUT) acts like an open and

can be modeled as such over this voltage range.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-57

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 Variation cont

When VI 0.7V, II changes linearly with voltage

5V 0.7V
rf 2.35k and V 0.7V
2mA
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-58
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 Variation cont
Since the I-V characteristics of the device under test (DUT)
are symmetrically about VD = 0, a similar model can be
used for VI - 0.7V as for VI 0.7V
For VI - 0.7V:

5V 0.7V
rf 2.35k and V 0.7V
2mA
Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-59
McGraw-Hill
 Variation on
Problems

Design a circuit
that has a voltage
transfer function
that is shown to
the left.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-60

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 Variation cont

For 0V vI < 8.2V, the voltage transfer function is linear.

When vI = 0V, vO = 0V so there is no need to include a battery
in the piecewise linear model for this voltage range.

Since there is a 1:1 correspondence

between v1 and vO, this section of
the transfer function can be
modeled as a 1 resistor.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-61

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 Variation cont

When vI 8.2V, the output voltage is pinned at 8.2V, just as if

the device suddenly became a battery.

Hence, the model for this section is a battery, where V = 8.2V.

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-62

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 Circuit

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-63

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 Variation cont

Or, if you assumed a more common V, say of 0.7V, then

the circuit would be:

Neamen Microelectronics, 4e Chapter 1-64

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