Handout #12

EE362A
Fall 2015

EE362A Semiconductor Devices

Lecture 11 - Midterm Review

Hyunjoo Jenny Lee

Assistant Professor
School of Electrical Engineering
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

*Figures that are not annotated with reference are from the education package distributed by the distributor of Neamen textbook.
 Today’s Lecture

§  Review on:

–  pn junction
•  Energy band & Electrostatics
•  I-V derivation

–  pn junction diode
•  Forward/reverse bias
•  High current injection / breakdown / recombination
•  Transient

–  BJT
•  Excess minority carriers at four operating modes
•  Current gain factors
•  Nonideal factors
•  Transients

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 2

 About Midterm

§  Date: Monday 10/19

§  Time: 9:00 am – 11:45 am

§  Place: Classroom

§  Closed Book

–  But, you can bring one-page (front/back) cheat sheet

§  Similar to homework / quiz problems

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 3

 PN – Electrostatics (1)

§  Potential barrier =difference in the EFs before joining! Remember ….

(1) Vbi = φ Fn + φ Fp * ΔP.E. = qΔV

* EFi = intrinsic
potential Fermi level

(2) eφ Fn = EFi − EF in n
eφ Fp = EFi − EF in p

(3) " Nd %
EF − EFi = kT ln $ '
# ni &
" Na %
EFi − EF = kT ln $ '
# ni &

(4) Put (2) and (3) into (1) kT ! N d N a $

Vbi = ln # 2 &
e " ni %

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 4

 PN – Electrostatics (2)

§  Before finding the E-field inside the depletion region….

Remember ….

1) Poisson’s Equation 2) Potential Definition

!
dE(x) ρ (x) dφ (x) !
= = − E(x)
dx ε dx
differentiate differentiate
Charge E-field Potential
!
ρ (x) E(x) φ (x)
integrate integrate

! ρ (x) !
E(x) = ∫ dx φ (x) = − ∫ E(x)dx
ε

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 5

 PN – Electrostatics (3)
ρ (x)
§  Assumption
–  Uniform doping
–  Abrupt junction
–  Depletion Approximation integrate ! differentiate
E(x)

φ (x)
differentiate
integrate

§  First, qualitatively …

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 6

 PN under Reverse Bias (1)

§  Apply a positive voltage on n-side and a negative on p-side…

–  Now, not in thermal equilibrium
–  What does that mean for EF?
EVACUUM=0
Zero Bias

Positive potential is
downwards by definition
H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 7
 PN under Reverse Bias (2)

§  Apply a positive voltage on n-side and a negative on p-side…

–  Now, not in thermal equilibrium
–  What does that mean for EF?
EVACUUM=0
Zero Bias Reverse Bias

Ç√  

Positive potential is Dam height is increased!

downwards by definition Current is still hard to flow!
H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 8
 PN under Reverse Bias (3)

§  What happens to the E-field?

1/2
' 2ε (Vbi +VR ) ! N + N $*
W = )) # d a
&,,
( e " N d N a %+

! −2(Vbi +VR )
E(x)max =
W

–  E-field in outside depletion region is neutral so increased E-field takes

place in depletion region…
–  The only way that E-field can increase is to increase W to increase
space charges!!
–  All previously driven equation, simply replace Vbi with Vbi+VR
H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 9
 PN under Reverse Bias (4)

§  Can we increase VR infinitely?

I
–  There is a limit
Breakdown
Voltage

§  Two mechanisms: VB

1)  Zener Effect

V
2)  Avalanche Effect

Reverse-biased
current increases
rapidly!

10

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015

 PN under Reverse Bias (5)

§  As we apply VR, amount of space charge increased. Remember ….

§  As we vary VR, amount of space charge varies! * C = ΔQ/ΔV

→ capacitance!

+dQ'

VR → VR + dVR induces dQ'

−dQ'

W(VR)
W(VR+dVR)
H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 11
 PN under Reverse Bias (6)

§  Considering the figure below, we could have modeled this as a

parallel-plate capacitor w/o the math!

+dQ'
ε
C' =
W (VR )

−dQ' VR

Variable cap = Varactor

W(VR)
W(VR+dVR)

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 12

 PN under Forward Bias (1)

Why is this flat??

Zero Bias Reverse Bias Forward Bias

•  Thermal eq. •  Larger potential barrier •  Smaller potential barrier
•  Built-in potential barrier •  Larger W, E •  Smaller E, W
•  |Jdrift| = |Jdiff| •  |Jdrift| > |Jdiff| •  |Jdrift| < |Jdiff|
Carriers are no long held
back in the n, p region!
H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 13
 PN under Forward Bias (2)

§  In a forward-biased pn junction,

Vbi → Vbi −Va

( 2ε (Vbi −Va ) " N + N %+

W = ** $ d a
'-- decreased!
) e # N d N a &,

Na Nd
xn = W xp = W
Nd + Na Nd + Na

! −2(Vbi −Va )
E(x)max = decreased!
W

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 14

 PN under Forward Bias (3)

§  Ideal I-V relationship:

Assumptions:
1)  Abrupt depletion region approximation:
-  Space charge regions have abrupt boundaries
-  Neutral outside the depletion region

2)  Maxwell-Boltzmann approximation (page. 96)

-  .E − EF >> kT
-  Fermi-Dirac distribution function becomes …
- # −(E − EF ) &
fE (E) ≈ exp % (
$ kT '
3)  Low injection
4)  Total current is a constant throughout the entire pn structure
- Individual electron and hole currents are constant throughout the depletion region

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 15

 PN under Forward Bias (4)

§  Subscript indicates p or n region

§  0 indicates thermal equilibrium

Na N d nno pn
n po Total minority carrier
np concentrations

δ pn = pn − pn0
δ n p = n p − n p0
“Excess” minority carrier
p po concentrations
pno

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 16

 PN under Forward Bias (5)

§  If assuming complete ionization:

Mobile charge Thermal eq. majority carrier
electron concentration in n
density
region
p po ≈ N a
Na nno ≈ N d
ppo nno
Nd

2 ni2
ni
pno ≈
n po ≈ Nd
Na

Minority carrier
electron in the p region
Logarithmic Scale

! Na Nd $ ni2 " −eVbi % " −eVbi %

Vbi = Vt ln # 2 & → = exp $ ' n po = nno exp $ '
" ni % Na Nd # kT & # kT &

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 17

 PN under Forward Bias (6)

" −eVbi %
n po = nno exp $ '
# kT &

§  Tells you how much the minority e- concentration in the p region
(np0) is small compared to the majority e- concentration in the n
region (nno)
n po

nno

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 18

 PN under Forward Bias (7)

Total minority carrier

concentration " −e (Vbi −Va ) %
n p = nno exp $ '
# kT &
No longer in
" −eVbia % " eVa %
= nno exp $ ' exp $ '
thermal eq. # kT & # kT &
" eV % Barrier lowering is Minority carrier concentration
= n po exp $ a ' exponentially
# kT & changes by orders
dependent the of magnitude
np
n po

Excess minority carrier e-s in

the p region are subject to the
diffusion and recombination
process

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 19

 PN under Forward Bias (8)

§  np: at the edge of the space charge region

§  Likewise, Larger this carrier, larger the slope
! eVa $ à diffusion current increases
pn = pno exp # &
" kT % - Larger diffusion force
- Larger J

..if there is no diff and

recombination

Excess minority carrier concentrations at the space charge edge

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 20

 PN under Forward Bias (9)

δ pn = pn − pno
§  What will happen to the injected minority carriers?
Excess!
–  Governed by ambipolar transport (Chapter 6.3)
–  Function of time and spatial coordinates
∂2 (δ pn ) ∂(δ pn ) δ pn ∂(δ pn )
In n region Dp 2
− µ p E + G − = G: generation
∂x ∂x τ po ∂t
diffusion drift recombination

–  Assumption: !
E=0
in the neutral n region (x > xn)
G=0
Steady State: ∂(δ pn )
=0
∂t

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 21

 PN under Forward Bias (10)

δ pn = pn − pno
§  What will happen to the injected minority carriers?
Excess!
∂2 (δ pn ) ∂(δ pn ) δ pn ∂(δ pn )
In n region Dp 2
− µ p E + G − =
∂x ∂x τ po ∂t
diffusion drift recombination
–  Assumption: !
E=0
in the neutral n region (x > xn)
G=0
∂(δ pn )
Steady State: =0
∂t

∂2 (δ pn ) δ pn ∂2 (δ pn ) δ pn
2
− =0 L p2 = Dpτ po (x > xn ) 2
− 2 =0
∂x Dpτ po ∂x Lp
∂2 (δ n p ) δ n p Ln2 = Dnτ no (x < −x p ) ∂2 (δ n p ) δ n p
2
− =0 2
− 2 =0
∂x Dnτ no ∂x Ln

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 22

 PN under Forward Bias (11)

§  Boundary condition:

1
3

4 2
pno (x → +∞)
n po (x → −∞)

Wp Wn

Wp >> L p
“long pn junction”
Wn >> Ln

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 23

 PN under Forward Bias (12)

§  So what does this mean?

∂2 (δ pn ) δ pn ∂2 (δ n p ) δ n p
2
− 2 =0 2
− 2 =0
∂x Lp ∂x Ln

As minority carrier diffuse from

the SQR into the neutral, they
recombine with majority carrier

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 24

 PN under Forward Bias (13)

§  The general solution to ∂2 (δ pn ) δ pn ∂2 (δ n p ) δ n p

2
− 2 =0 2
− 2 =0
∂x Lp ∂x Ln
–  n region: δ pn (x) = pn (x) − pno = Ae x/Lp + Be− x/Lp (x ≥ xn )
–  p region: δ n p (x) = n p (x) − n po = Ce x/Ln + De− x/Ln (x ≤ xn )

§  Applying the boundary conditions,

( ! eVa $ + !x −x$
δ pn (x) = pno *exp # & −1- exp ## n &&, (x ≥ xn )
) " kT % , " Lp %
( ! eVa $ + ! xp + x $
δ n p (x) = n po *exp # & −1- exp # &, (x ≤ x p )
) " kT % , " Ln %

Decay exponentially with distance away from the junction

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 25

 PN under Forward Bias (14)

( ! eVa $ + !x −x$
δ pn (x) = pno *exp # & −1- exp ## n &&, (x ≥ xn )
) " kT % , " Lp %
( ! eVa $ + ! xp + x $
δ n p (x) = n po *exp # & −1- exp # &, (x ≤ x p )
) " kT % , " Ln %
exponentially

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 26

 PN under Forward Bias (15)

§  Assumptions:
1)  The total current in the junction is the sum of the individual e- and h+
currents which are constant through the depletion region
2)  Since the e- and h+ currents are continuous, currents in the depletion
region are the same with the diffusion currents at the depletion region
edges

(1)+(2)

J total = J h+ + J e− at any x
(1)
= J p + Jn
(2) = J p (xn ) + J n (−x p )

Constant in the depletion region Minority carrier h+

diffusion at x = xn
H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 27
 PN under Forward Bias (16)

§  Diffusion currents

The n gradient
produces diffusion
current

At the edge, no drift

current since we
assume E=0

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 28

 PN under Forward Bias (17)

§  Current due to minority carrier diffusion:

dpn (x)
J p (xn ) = −eDp
dx x=xn δ pn (x) = pn (x) − pno
d (δ pn (x)) ( ! eV $ + !x −x$
= −eDp δ pn (x) = pno *exp # a & −1- exp ## n &&, (x ≥ xn )
dx x=x
) " kT % , L
" p %
n

eDp pno ( " eVa % +

= *exp $ ' −1- +x direction
L p ) # kT & ,

§  Similarly,

eDn n po ( " eVa % +

J n (−x p ) = *exp $ ' −1-
Ln ) # kT & , Also, in +x direction

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 29

 PN under Forward Bias (18)

§  Then, the total current density is …

" eD p eD n %" ( eV + %
J = J p (xn ) + J n (−x p ) = $ p no + n po '$exp * a - −1'
$# L p Ln '&# ) kT , &

§  Define a new parameter “reverse

saturation current density”, Js,

( ! eVa $ +
J = Js *exp # & −1-
) " kT % ,

“Ideal-Diode Equation”

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 30

 BJT – Basic (1)

§  (1) Narrow base width minority carrier

diffusion length
Wb << Ln or LP

–  Remember “short” diode?

§  (2) Doping concentrations:

E >B>C

–  Emitter: place where carrier emission (or injection) happens

–  Collector: place where carriers are collected

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 31

 BJT – Basic (2)

§  An npn bipolar TR in a common-emitter circuit configuration

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 32

 Remember:
BJT – Basic (3) •  +pn- forward
•  -pn+ reverse

§  “Forward active” mode:

- +

+ -

Forward Bias Reverse Bias

np(x)
pn(x)
+
Short diode
E (n) B (p) B (p) C (n)
At the edge, ideally zero
H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 33
 BJT – Basic (4)

§  “We are dealing with only minority carriers” 1) Forward active

xE is small
pE (x ' = xE ) = pE 0

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 34

 BJT – Basic (5)

2) Cutoff

3) Saturation

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 35

 BJT – Basic (6)

4) Inverse Active

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 36

 BJT – Current Gains (1)

§  Particle flux at forward active

JnE Diffusion of minority electrons in the base at x = 0

JnC Diffusion of minority electrons in the base at x = xB
JRB Recombination of excess minority e- with majority h+ in the base.
JRB = JnE – JnC
JpE Diffusion of minority hole in the emitter at x’ = 0
JpC0 Diffusion of minority holes in the collector x”=0
JR Recombination of carriers in the BE junction
JG Generation of carriers in the BC junction

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 37

 BJT – Current Gains (2)

§  “small-signal common-base current gain”

∂JC J nC
α= =
∂J E J nE + J R + J pE
" J %" J %" J + J %
nE nC nE pE
= $$ ''$ '$ '
J
# nE + J J J
pE & # nE & # nE + J R + J PE &

=γ ⋅ αT ⋅ δ

(1) Emitter injection (2) Base (3) Recombination

efficiency factor transport factor
factor

§  The goal is to make α as close to one as possible

–  By making each term close to !

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 38

 BJT – Current Gains (3)

α = γ ⋅ αT ⋅ δ
"γ : JPE is not part of the collector current
$
$
$αT : Any recombination of excess minority electrons in Base. We
# want no recombination
$
$δ : The recombination in the forward-biased B-E junction (JR)
$ JR contributes to the E current, but not to current
%

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 39

 BJT – Current Gains (4)

! J $! J $! J + J $
nE nC nE pE
α = ## &&# &# & !γ : “Emitter Injection Efficiency”
J
" nE + J J J
pE % " nE % " nE + J + J PE % JPE is not part of the collector
R
#
= γ ⋅ αT ⋅ δ # current
#
#
#αT : “Base Transport Factor”
" Any recombination of excess
# minority electrons in base.
# à We want no recombination
#
#δ : “Recombination Factor”
#$ The recombination in the
forward-biased B-E junction
(JR)

JR contributes to the E
current, but not to C current

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 40

 BJT – Nonidealities (1)

§  (1) Base Width Modulation = Early Effects

Increase reverse bias

voltage across C-B!

increase in currents!

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 41

 BJT – Nonidealities (2)

§  Consequence:

early voltage
(100~300V)

dI C IC 1
= g0 = =
dVCE VCE +VA r0 output resistance

1
I C = g0 (VCE +VA ) = (VCE +VA )
r0
originally IC should be
nothing to do with VCE
§  For example:
VCB : 2V →10V à 8% change of WB

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 42

 BJT – Nonidealities (2)

§  (2) High injection

(2) As VBE increases, nB(0) > pB0=NB

à pp(0) increases as quasi-charge

(3)
neutrality holds
holes
back (1) à more holes are injected back into E

à emitter injection efficiency ê

à common-emitter current gain ê

Emitter Base

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 43

 BJT – Nonidealities (3)

§  β as a function of IC

Higher VBE

lower VBE

remember from pn
junction

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 44

 BJT – Nonidealities (4)

§  At low injection,

! VBE $
p p (0) = p p0 = N a n p (0) = n p0 exp # &
" VT %

! VBE $
p p (0)n p (0) = p p0 n p0 exp # & Still applies at high injection
V
" T %

§  At high injection,

" VBE %
n p (0) ≈ n p0 exp $ '
2V
# T&
For the same
increase in VBE, less
The same as the diode case change in IC

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 45

 BJT – Transients (1)

§  Common-emitter Configuration

Saturation

Cutoff Cutoff
§  What happens to IC over time (transient)?

H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 46

 BJT – Transients (2)
delay time
td

tr

0 WB
Minority same still same
cutoff carrier slope! discharging
slope, but
injection little drop in
H. J. Lee | EE | KAIST EE362A | Fall 2015 C 47