EEL 3008

Physics of EE
2.7 PN Device Applications

EEL 3008 Physics of EE 1

 Outline
• Diode Overview
• Diodes in Forward Bias
– Direct vs. Indirect semiconductors
– Light emitting diode (LED)
– Solar cell
• Diodes in Reverse Bias
– Zener diode
– Photodiode
• Example Circuits

EEL 3008 Physics of EE 2

 PN Junction Diodes
• Diodes come in all shapes,
sizes, power levels
• Characterized by their I-V
curve

Forward
threshold
voltage

https://learnabout-electronics.org/Semiconductors/diodes_20.php

EEL 3008 Physics of EE 3

 Many Types of Diodes
• Signal Diode - small voltages/currents

• Power Diode - large voltages/currents

• Schottky Diode - low turn-on voltage (metal/semiconductor junction)

• Zener Diode - Used in reverse breakdown

• Light Emitting Diode - create light

• Photo Diode - respond to light

• Solar Cell - convert light to electricity

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 PN Junction Diodes
• Turn-on voltage
dictated by bandgap
and doping levels

• Generally a tradeoff
between forward-bias
turn-on voltage and
reverse-bias leakage

http://conceptselectronics.com/diodes/comparison-si-ge-gaas-diodes/

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 Solving Diode Circuits
1. Assume diode in certain mode (e.g. “on” or “off”)
2. Solve the circuit under the assumed condition
3. Check VD and ID on diode:
– If consistent with the mode assumed in Step 1 à DONE
– If inconsistent with the assumed mode à START OVER and GUESS AGAIN

Note: If more than one diode in the circuit, you have to make guesses about
all diodes and check all conditions at the end

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 Example: Standard LED Circuit
Consider a red LED (VLED = 1.8 V) as shown below. Calculate I, PLED. Sketch the
operating curve and operating point of the diode.

100 Ω
5V

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 Recall Forward-Bias P|N Junction
VD > 0
P-TYPE Dri, Current N-TYPE + _
E Diffusion Current

VD > 0 EEC EC

EV
i EF
EV
ID
I II III IV
x
Wdepletion power
DriA#Current# absorbed
ID>0" +3# +4# +3# +5#
Diffusion#Current# +4# +5#

+#+#
#### ρ = −qN AA
ρ = +qN DD #
Quasi+neutral#
+4# +4# +4# +4# Quasi+neutral#
+4# +4#

VD
####
#
+4# +3# !"
+4# +4# +5# +4#

W E
VD>0" +" depletion#"
• Posi3ve#voltage#3ps#the#balance,#unleashing#a#flood#of#
posi3ve#diffusion#current.#
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 Question on Energy?
• In forward-bias, excess conduction electrons lose energy (equal to
EG) when they combine with holes. Where does this energy go?

P-TYPE Dri, Current N-TYPE

E Diffusion Current

VD > 0 EEC EC
i EF
EV EV
I II III IV
Wdepletion
x

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 Two Types of Semiconductors
• Electron/hole recombination results in both
– Generation of heat (phonons)
– Generation of light (photons)

• Semiconductors are classified as either

– Direct semiconductors (GaAs, SiC): large amount of light emitted
– Indirect semiconductors (Si, Ge, AlSb): very little light emitted, mostly
heat

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 P|N Device at Forward Bias
P-TYPE Dri, Current N-TYPE Indirect Semiconductor
E Ex. Si, Ge, AlSb
Diffusion Current
Heat
VD > 0 EEC EC ID
i EF
EV EV
I II III IV Heat
Wdepletion
x
DriA#Current# Heat
ID>0" +3# +4# +3# +5#
Diffusion#Current# +4# +5#

+#+#
ρ = −qN AA

VD
####

ρ = +qN DD #
Quasi+neutral#
+4# +4# +4# +4# Quasi+neutral#
+4# +4#
####
#
+4# +3# !"
+4# +4# +5# +4#

W E
VD>0" +" depletion#"
• Posi3ve#voltage#3ps#the#balance,#unleashing#a#flood#of#
posi3ve#diffusion#current.# EEL 3008 Physics of EE 11
 P|N Device at Forward Bias
P-TYPE Dri, Current N-TYPE Direct Semiconductor
Ex. GaAs, GaAsP, SiC
E Diffusion Current

VD > 0 EEC EC ID
i EF
EV EV
I II III IV
Wdepletion
x
DriA#Current#

ID>0" +3# +4# +3# +5#

Diffusion#Current# +4# +5#

+#+# VD
#### ρ = −qN AA
ρ = +qN DD #
Quasi+neutral#
+4# +4# +4# +4# Quasi+neutral#
+4# +4#
####
#
+4# +3# !"
+4# +4# +5# +4#

W E
VD>0" +" depletion#"
• Posi3ve#voltage#3ps#the#balance,#unleashing#a#flood#of#
posi3ve#diffusion#current.# EEL 3008 Physics of EE 12
 Light-Emitting Diode (LED)
+ _
• The color of an LED depends on the band gap
(EG) of the (direct) semiconductor
– Different I-V characteristics

Ref: http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/diode/diode_8.html

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Inside an LED

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-emitting_diode
http://atclighting.co/images/pages/technology-inside.gif
https://www.ee.co.za/article/led-die-attach-trends-considerations.html

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 LED vs. Photodiode (Solar Cell)

• Light-Emitting Diode • Photodiode (Solar cell)

electrical à optical energy optical à electrical energy

EC Ephoton EC
Ei EG Ei EG
EV EV
Ephoton
LED light is result of electron-hole Light creates an electron-hole pair
recombination (photogeneration) with + and - charge.

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 Ln Wdepletion Lp
Ioptical
+ + +

ID<0
+ + +
3 4 Op#cal'Current'
3 5 4 5

+
4

+
4
+
Quasi-neutral
4

+
3
- +
4

+
4
!"
+
+
4

+
4
Quasi-neutral
+
4

+
5
+
4

+
4

E
VD=0
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 Effect of Light on Shorted P|N Device
P-TYPE N-TYPE
ID
E Optical Current

dark
Ioptical EC EC
Ei
EF VD
I EV
D EV -Ioptical
x
Ephoton light

• At equilibrium (dark), I D = J D ⋅ A = 0 when VD = 0

• At non-equilibrium (light), I D = −I optical when VD = 0

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 Photogeneration in Ideal Diode Equation
• Photogeneration causes (negative)
DC offset to ideal diode equation ID
• More light à More optical current
(more offset)
dark
⎡ ⎛ qVD ⎞ ⎤
I D = I S ⎢exp ⎜ ⎟ −1⎥ − I optical VD
⎣ ⎝ k BT ⎠ ⎦

Ioptical would be given in a problem statement

light

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 Ln Wdepletion Lp
Igenerated
+ + +

ID<0
+ + +
3 4 Op#cal'Current'
3 5 4 5

+
4

+
4
+
Quasi-neutral
4

+
3
- +
4

+
4
!"
+
+
4

+
4
Quasi-neutral
+
4

+
5
+
4

+
4

E
V >0D
_
+ Rload
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 Solar Cell
• A solar cell (solar panel) is a large array
of P|N junctions specifically designed to

Quasi-neutral
5

4
+

+
produce power

Lp

5
+

+
Op#cal'Current'

_
Ln Wdepletion

+
+

V >0
5

4
+

Rload
!"
E
D
-
3

4
+

+
_

3
+

+
Quasi-neutral
Diode Solar Cell

4
+

+
Igenerated

ID<0
https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Photovoltaic_cell

EEL 3008 Physics of EE 20

 Solar Cell for Different Loads
• Solar cell voltage and current (VD, ID)
depend on the connected load ID

ID Rload = ∞

Rload VD
VD Voc
power
supplied!
-Isc
Rload = 0
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 Example: Solar Cell
Consider a solar cell with IS = 4x10-12 A, kBT/q = 25.9 mV, and Ioptical = 50 mA.
Calculate the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current. Sketch the
operating curve on an I-V plot. Then graphically estimate VD, ID for a load
RL=10 Ω.
⎡ ⎛ qV ⎞ ⎤
I D = I S ⎢exp ⎜ D ⎟ −1⎥ − I optical
⎣ ⎝ k BT ⎠ ⎦

EEL 3008 Physics of EE 22

 Solar Cell – Maximum Power Point
Power = |VD ID|= maximum ID

ID= -IMPP VMPP

VD
VD Rload =RMPP max. Voc
=VMPP power
supplied
-IMPP Maximum
Power Point
-Isc Rload = RMPP

EEL 3008 Physics of EE 23

 Recall Reverse-Bias P|N Junction
VD < 0
P-TYPE N-TYPE + _
E
Dri$%Current%

Diffusion(Current(

VD < 0 EC
Ei EC
EV FN ID
I II III IV EV
x
Wdepletion
Dri2 Current

ID=~0 +3 +4 +3Diffusion Current +5 +4 +5

-
ρ = −qN AA

+
ρ = +qN DD
Quasi- +4

VD
+4 +4 +4 Quasi-neutral
+4 +4
neutral

+4 +3 +4 !" +4 +5 +4

E
VD<0 - +

EEL 3008 Physics of EE 24

 Photodiodes
+ _
• Photodiodes commonly used as light detectors
Light induces reverse-bias current -ID
• Creates voltage VR across resistor
ID

ID -
5V VD
Reverse bias dark
+
+ VD
VR
- light

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 Example: Photodiode Circuit
Let ID = -20 µA under light exposure. Calculate VR, VD, and sketch the operating
curve and operating point of the photodiode. Repeat for ID = -40 µA (brighter), ID =
0 mA (light off).

ID -
5V VD
+
+
30 kΩ
VR
-

EEL 3008 Physics of EE 26

 PN Junction in Reverse Bias
• Reverse-bias current very low (~pA)
• At extreme reverse voltages (typically >100 V), impact ionization
causes breakdown
• No great “use” for this ID
Typically >>100 V

-VBV
Typically ~pA VD

EEL 3008 Physics of EE 27

 Zener Diode VD
+ _
• Designed to operate in breakdown
– Different physics than simple PN junction
– Controllable and relatively low-value
breakdown voltages:
ID
Vzener = 3.3 V, 4.7 V, 5 V, …
– Voltage constant at VZener so long
as current exceeds the “knee
current” IZK (typically ~mA)
-VZener

“knee”
-IZK VD
Operational area

EEL 3008 Physics of EE 28

 Example: Zener Diode Voltage Regulator
Calculate I, Vout, and sketch the operating curve and operating point of the diode.
10 Ω
Li-ion
+
battery
3.3 V
3.7-4.2 V Zener Vout
-

EEL 3008 Physics of EE 29

 Takeaways
• Diodes designed with many
different properties for many
different uses in both forward
bias and reverse bias
• Solving diode circuits is a
guessing game!

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