Introduction to Optoelectronics 2021

Homework 2
Due 9/11/2021
Please drop to my mailbox in MD617 or give the homework to our TA
Problem 1: Consider a Si pn junction that has the following properties: Na=1018cm-3 (p-side), Nd=1018cm-3
(n-type). The cross section area is 0.1 mm2. What is the diode current due to diffusion in neutral regions at
300K when the forward voltage across the diode is 0.7V? (5 points)
(n=1000 cm2V-1s-1, p=220 cm2V-1s-1. Eg=1.11eV. Nc=3.2x1019 cm-3 and Nv=1.83x1019 cm-3, e=h=10-8s)
(If you use the old given value of Nc=4.7x1017 cm-3 and Nv=7x1018, it is also OK)
(5 points)

Ans: The applied voltage is 1V, which is near the turn on voltage of the pn diode, therefore, this is under low
carrier injection where the diffusion current and recombination current are dominating in the system. Usually
for Si, it is indirect bandgap material, the carrier are decay mainly due to nonradiative recombination where
the nonradiative lifetime is e=h=10-8s. When the forward voltage is 1V, we know that

𝑘𝑇𝜇𝑒 0.0026𝑚2
𝐷𝑒 = =
𝑒 𝑠
𝑘𝑇𝜇ℎ 0.000569𝑚2
𝐷ℎ = =
𝑒 𝑠
The recombination time of electrons diffusing in the p-region is

𝜏𝑒 = 10𝑛𝑠

𝜏ℎ = 10𝑛𝑠

The diffusion length are

Le = √De τe = √0.0026 × 10 × 10−9 = 5.10 × 10−6 𝑚

Lh = √Dh τh = √0.000572 × 10 × 10−9 = 2.38 × 10−6 𝑚

The diffusion current can be expressed as

𝑒𝑉 𝑒𝑉
𝐽 = 𝐽𝑠𝑜 [𝑒𝑥𝑝 ( ) − 1] ≈ 𝐼𝑠𝑜 𝑒𝑥𝑝 ( )
𝑘𝐵 𝑇 𝑘𝐵 𝑇

𝐷ℎ 𝐷𝑒
𝐽𝑠𝑜 = 𝑒𝑛𝑖2 [( )+( )]
𝐿ℎ 𝑁𝑑 𝐿𝑒 𝑁𝑎

Since ni = 1.19 × 1016 m−3 ( or 8.6 × 1014 m−3 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑁𝑐, 𝑁𝑣),

𝐷ℎ 𝐷𝑒 𝐴 𝐴
𝐽𝑠𝑜 = 𝑒𝑛𝑖2 [( )+( )] = 1.64 × 10−8 ( 2 ) 𝑜𝑟 8.85 × 10−11 ( 2 )
𝐿ℎ 𝑁𝑑 𝐿𝑒 𝑁𝑎 𝑚 𝑚
So the forward current density is
𝐴 𝑒𝑉 𝐴
𝐽 = 1.64 × 10−8 ( 2
) × [𝑒𝑥𝑝 ( ) − 1] = 8.96 × 103 ( 2 )
𝑚 𝑘𝐵 𝑇 𝑚

𝐴
𝐼 = 𝐽𝐴 = 8.96 × 103 ( ) × 10−7 (𝑚2 ) = 8.96 × 10−4 𝐴
𝑚2
Or
𝐴 𝑒𝑉 𝐴
𝐽 = 8.85 × 10−11 ( 2 ) × [𝑒𝑥𝑝 ( ) − 1] = 4.84 × 101 ( 2 )
𝑚 𝑘𝐵 𝑇 𝑚

𝐼 = 𝐽𝐴 = 4.84 × 10−6 𝐴

Usually, the Si’s radiative lifetime is much longer than 10ns, such as the value 10μs in L4 slide page 20. If
you use the τe and τh as the radiative lifetime, which is not usually the case of this value, you will get
recombination current as

𝐴
1.05 × 106 ( )
𝑚2
This value is still smaller than diffusion current. It would be OK if you examine both.

Problem 2: The bandgap of GaxIn1-xAs alloy can be expressed as 0.36+1.064x (eV). For an optical
communication in the optical, the best operation wave length is 1.33 m. If we want to make a “double
heterostructure” LED (InP/InGaAs/InP) to emit light operate at this wavelength. What is the x we needed?
What is the effective electron effective mass of this alloy? (5 points)

me* (GaAs ) = 0.067m0

me* ( InAs) = 0.027m0

Ans: To emit the light wavelength at 1.33m, the bandgap should be.

Eg =
1.24
(eV ) = 1.24 = 0.9323
 1.33

Therefore, in order to tune the bandgap of InGaAs alloy to be 0.9323eV, the x is 0.5379. The effective mass
of InGaAs would be

1
𝑚𝑒∗ (𝐼𝑛𝐺𝑎𝐴𝑠) = = 0.0395𝑚0
1 1
∗ × 0.53 + ∗ × 0.47
𝑚𝑒 (𝐺𝑎𝐴𝑠) 𝑚𝑒 (𝐼𝑛𝐴𝑠)

Problem 3: For a pn diode LED where the bandgap is 1.42eV, when we measure this LED at 2V, the total
current is 1A. Please estimate the smallest internal power loss for this LED at 2V. (5 points)
Ans: For all the emitted light , the photon energy would is ~2eV. For a carrier with 2V applied voltage,
1.42eV will loss due to certain non-radiative mechanism. Therefore, the smallest internal power loss in this
case is 1A × 0.58V = 0.58W.

Problem 4: (10points) For a pn GaAs diode LED as shown below. The ND=NA=5x1017 cm-3, (n=3000
cm2V-1s-1, p=300 cm2V-1s-1, Eg=1.42V, Nc=4.7x1017 cm-3, and Nv=7x1018 cm-3) at room temperature
300K.

(1)Please calculate the depletion region width. (2 points)

The deletion region width can be obtained by

𝑛𝑖2 = 6.28 × 1024 m−6

2ϵ (Nd + Na )𝑘𝐵 𝑇 𝑁𝑎 𝑁𝑑
W2 = ln ( 2 )
eNa Nd 𝑛𝑖

2ϵ(Nd + Na )𝑘𝐵 𝑇 𝑁𝑎 𝑁𝑑
W=√ ln ( ) = 8.76 × 10−8 m~88 nm
e2 Na Nd 𝑛𝑖2

(2) The light absorption coefficient  is 2x104 cm-1, where the I = I 0 exp (− x) ) . To avoid the emitted light
to be re-absorbed by the semiconductor, what is the limitation of p-layer thickness? (note I > e-1 I0). (3 points)
1
Since the absorption of the coefficient is ~500nm. Therefore, the p-layer thickness should be much
2×104
smaller than 500nm. This is difficult because the depletion region is already 88nm thick, where n and p
layer is roughly taken half of them.

Problem 5

(1) For a single In0.5Ga0.5As quantum well LED, the quantum well width is 10 nm. Assume the barrier height
is infinite so that the electron and hole are confined well in the quantum well. What is the effective bandgap
and the emitted light wavelength (Note: you must consider the quantum confined effect as we mentioned in
the class) Eg (GaAs) = 1.43 eV Eg (InAs) = 0.36 eV. me* (GaAs)=0.067m0, me* (InAs)=0.027m0, mhh*
(GaAs)=0.45m0, mhh* (InAs)=0.40m0. (5 points).

(2) Please list at least 3 advantages of using a QW LED instead of using a pn homojunction LED. (5 points)

Ans:

(1)

The effective bandgap can be obtained by

n2 π2 ℏ2 n2 π2 ℏ2
Eg eff = + + Eg
2m∗e L2 2m∗hh L2
 1.43+0.36
For In0.5Ga0.5As, The Eg = = 0.8950eV
2

1 0.5 0.5 1 0.5 0.5

= + m∗ , m∗ = m∗ + m∗ ,
m∗e m∗e(GaAs) e(InAs) h h(GaAs) h(InAs)

m∗e = 0.038m0 , m∗h = 0.42m0

Eg eff =1.003 eV, λeff=1.238 μm

(2)

1. We can adjust the width of quantum well to change the effective bandgap, so that we can change the
emitted light wavelength.

2. The quantum well can confine the carriers to increase the recombination probability.

3. The bandgap of side wall is larger than the bandgap of well, which reduces the re-absorption.