PHYS208 p-n junction

January 15, 2010

List of topics (1)

Density of states Fermi-Dirac distribution Law of mass action Doped semiconductors Dopinglevel p-n-junctions

Intrinsic semiconductors

List of topics

Density of states

The number of conduction electrons is equal to the number of holes. The density of states for the free electron in the conduction band is V gc (E) = 2 m is the electron eective mass. e Ec is the energy at the conduction band edge. 2m e 2 h
3/2

(E Ec )1/2 .

(2)

For the free holes in the valence band, the density of states is V gv (E) = 2 m is the hole eective mass. h Ec is the energy at the valence band edge. 2m h 2 h
3/2

(Ev E)1/2 .

(3)

List of topics

Fermi-Dirac distribution
The probability of a particular energy state being occupied is given by f (E) = is the chemical potential. T is the temperature. k is the Boltzmann constant. 1 exp
E kT

+1

(4)

In conduction band there are very few electrons. This means that fe (E) = 1 e
E kT

<< 1 +1

(5)

It follows that that the exponential is large, so that 1 e which is true if E >> kT (7)
E kT

e +1

E kT

(6)

The concentration of electrons in the conduction band is 1 ne = V

gc (E)f (E)dE = 2
Ec

m kT e 2 2 h

3/2

Ec kT

(8)

gc (E) = Go to the chemical potential

V 2

2m e 2 h

3/2

(E Ec )1/2 .

(9)

For holes in valence band fh (E) = 1 fe (E) e

E kT

(10)

fh is the probability that a valence orbital is occupied. V gv (E) = 2 2m h 2 h

3/2

(Ev E)1/2 .

(11)

The concentration of holes in the valence band is 1 nh = V

Ev

gv (E)fh (E)dE = 2

m kT h 2 2 h

3/2

Ev kT

(12)

List of topics

Law of mass action

Since the number of holes is the same as the number of electrons in an intrinsic semiconductor ne = nh = ni (13) m kT e 2 2 h m kT h 2 2 h kT 2 2 h
3 3/2

ne = 2

e
3/2

Ec kT

(14)

nh = 2

Ev kT

(15)

ne (T )nh (T ) = 4

(m m )3/2 e kT = n2 , e h i

Eg

(16)

List of topics kT 2 2 h
3/2

ni (T ) = 2

(m m )3/4 e 2kT e h

Eg

(17)

ni is the intrinsic carrier density. Eg = Ec Ev Eg is the energy gap. The result is independent of and it drops exponentially at the band gap increases. The expression (16) is the law of mass action. Since ne (T ) = ni (T ), we obtain by equating (17) and (8) 1 3 = Ec Eg + kT ln 2 4 m h m e (18)

List of topics

Doped semiconductors
(19) Impurity atoms with more valence electrons than the rest of the atoms in the crystall are called Donors and it forms n-type semiconductors. Impurity atoms with less valence electrons than the rest of the atoms in the crystall are called Acceptors and it forms p-type semiconductors. If the material to be doped is silicon (4 valence electrons), one can add phosphorus (5 valence electrons) to get a n-type semiconductor and one can add boron (3 valence electrons) to get a p-type semiconductor.

+4 Si

+4 Si CONDUCTION ELECTRON -q

+4 Si

+4 Si

+4 Si HOLE +q

+4 Si

+4 Si

+5 P

+4 Si

+4 Si

+3 B

+4 Si

+4 Si

+4 Si

+4 Si

+4 Si

+4 Si

+4 Si

(a)

(b)

List of topics

Doping level
We want to show that the energy level for the extra electrons will be right below the conduction band for a n-doped semiconductor. As a model we use the Hydrogen Hamiltonian, where the electronic mass is replaced by the corresponding eective mass. H=
r

h2 2m e

e2 4
r 0r

(20)

is the relative dielectric constant since we are not in vacuum.

We know that the energies in hydrogen are given by me En = 2 2 h e2 4 0

2

1 13.6 = 2 eV 2 n n

(21)

m = Cme e Then the energy of the groundstate (n = 1) in our model is Emodel = Example For phosphorus doping of silicon
r

(22)

m e 2 2 h

e2 4 0

=
r

me 2 2 h

e2 4 0

C
2 r

= Ehydrogen

C
2 r

(23)

= 11.7 and m 0.2me e (24)

The binding energy in our model is then E 0.02 eV The energy of the doping states are Ed = Ec + E Since E < 0 the states are right below the edge of the conduction band. If we look at the holes in the same way as the electrons it can be shown that the energy level for the extra holes will be right above the edge of the valence band. (25)

n-doped

p-doped

f( , ,T)

1 +1

ekT Ec Ev

f( , ,T)

1 +1

ekT Ec Ev

Ev Ec

f( , ,T)

1 +1

ekT Ec Ev

Ev Ec

f( , ,T)

f( , ,T)

1 +1

ekT Ec Ev

Ev Ec

f( , ,T)

f( , ,T)

1 f( , ,T) f( , ,T)

1 +1

ekT Ec Ev

Ev Ec

List of topics

p-n junctions
(26)

In the p-doped and the n-doped materials the fermi levels will be at dierent energies.

From thermodynamics we know that the fermi levels must be the same if they are joined together.

When p-doped and n-doped materials are joined together, there is an inbalance between electrons and holes on each side. Electrons and holes diuse diustion current. Positive charge on n-side and negative on p-side potential drift current. At equilibrium 0 = jdrift + jdi

The diusion current is given by Ficks law, J = D n (27)

where D is the diusion constant and n is the density of carriers. Regarding the electrons we nd that the charge current caused by diusion is jdi = eJ = eD n The current caused by the electric eld jdrift = E = enmob E, 0 = jdrift + jdi = en(r)mob E + eD n(r) (29) (30) where again n is the carrier density and mob is the mobility. At equilibrium Assuming that there only is change in the x-direction, the equation becomes dn(x) n(x)mob Ex (x) = D , (31) dx which gives us the electrical eld in terms of the electron distribution: D 1 dn E(x) = . (32) mob n dx (28)

Interface between the n-doped and the p-doped semiconductor is very depleted of charge carriers. The resistance there will be much larger than in the rest of the semiconductor. Practically all of the potential fall will be in this region. Thus

Vc = () () =

Ex dx
n() n()

D mob

n() n()

1 dn D dx = n(x) dx mob

dn D n() = ln . n mob n()

Far from the interface the carrier densities are that of p-doped and n-doped semiconductors, respectively. Since most of the electrons introduced by the impurities are free at normal temperatures, n() = ND . Use Law of mass action (16) to nd n() NA = n2 (T ) i on p-side. Thus ND NA n() = 2 . n() ni (T ) To establish the relationship between D and consider a constant strong Ex giving the equation dn = mob Ex n(x), D dx which has solution n(x) emob Ex x/D . (33) But from Boltzmann statistics we have n(x) eeEx x/kB T . (34)

n(x) eeEx x/kB T . n(x) emob Ex x/D .

(35) (36)

Since these two exponentials must be the same to ensure consistency, we nd that kB T D = , (37) mob e which is the Einstein-Nernst equation. Upon substitution Vc = Example Si crystal: NA = ND = 1016 cm3 .
kT e

kB T ND NA ln 2 . e ni (T )

(38)

0.025 V. For Si when T = 300 K, ni 1010 cm3 . Vc = 0.72 V (39)

Then

 Assume (x) has a constant value in a region of thickness dp and another constant value in a region of thickness dn . Everywhere else we assume (x) = 0. Assume all electrons from the region dn ll all the holes in the region dp .

NA dp = ND dn .

From Poissons equation we know that dEx /dx = 4(x). Thus for dp < x < 0 Ex (x) = 4eNA (dp + x), and for 0 < x < dn Ex (x) = 4eND (dn x). Outside the depletion zone we assume there is no electric eld.

(40) (41)

Since Ex = d/dx this can be realised by 0 2eNA (dp + x)2 (x) = Vc 2eND (dn x)2 Vc

x < dp dp < x < 0 0 < x < dn x > dn

(42)

Continuity at x = 0 gives 2eNA d2 = Vc 2eND d2 . p n Dening d = dp + dn , and using dn ND = dp NA we can write dn = NA d, NA + ND dp = ND d. NA + ND

Inserting this for dn and dp we nd Vc = 2e or solving for d, d= Vc NA + ND . 2e NA ND (43)

2 2 NA ND + ND NA (NA + ND )2

d2 = 2ed2

NA ND , NA + ND

It is very dicult to inuence the drift current since the electric eld is very large at the junction. It is possible to change the diusion current by changing the density of electrons and holes. At Vexternal = 0 the current over the p-n junction is j = jdi jdrift = j0 j0 = 0. If Vexternal = 0 jdrift will not be much changed, but in the diution current there will be an extra Boltzmann factor eeV /kB T . Thus the current with an external eld is j = (eeV /kB T 1)j0 . (44) At V > 0 there is a current growing exponentially as we increase V , and at large negative values of V we are left with only the drift current which is very small.