Lecture #5

ANNOUNCEMENT
• Discussion Section 102 (Th 10-11AM) moved to 105 Latimer

OUTLINE
– Mobility dependence on temperature
– Diffusion current
– Relationship between band diagrams & V,
– Non-uniformly doped semiconductor
– Einstein relationship
– Quasi-neutrality approximation

Read: Chapter 3.2

Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 1

Mechanisms of Carrier Scattering

Dominant scattering mechanisms:
1. Phonon scattering (lattice scattering)
2. Impurity (dopant) ion scattering

Phonon scattering mobility decreases when T increases:

1 1
µ phonon ∝ τ phonon ∝ ∝ ∝ T −3 / 2
phonon density × carrier thermal velocity T × T 1/ 2

µ = qτ / m v th ∝ T

Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 2

1
 Impurity Ion Scattering
Boron Ion Electron
_
- -
Electron +
Arsenic
Ion

There is less change in the electron’s direction of travel

if the electron zips by the ion at a higher speed.
v th3 T 3/2
µ impurity ∝ ∝
NA + ND NA + ND

Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 3

Temperature Effect on Mobility

1 1 1
= +
τ τ phonon τ impurity
1 1 1
= +
µ µ phonon µ impurity

Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 4

2
Example: Temperature Dependence of ρ
Consider a Si sample doped with 1017cm-3 As.
How will its resistivity change when the temperature is
increased from T=300K to T=400K?

Solution:
The temperature dependent factor in σ (and therefore
ρ) is µn. From the mobility vs. temperature curve for
1017cm-3, we find that µn decreases from 770 at 300K to
400 at 400K. As a result, ρ increases by
770
= 1.93
400

Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 5

Diffusion
Particles diffuse from regions of higher concentration
to regions of lower concentration region, due to
random thermal motion.

Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 6

3
 Diffusion Current
dn dp
J N,diff = qDN J P,diff = − qDP
dx dx

x x

D is the diffusion constant, or diffusivity.

Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 7

Total Current

J = JN + JP

dn
JN = JN,drift + JN,diff = qnµn + qDN
dx

dp
JP = JP,drift + JP,diff = qpµp – qDP
dx

Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 8

4
Band Diagram: Potential vs. Kinetic Energy

increasing electron energy

electron kinetic energy

increasing hole energy

Ec

Ev
hole kinetic energy

Ec represents the electron potential energy:

P.E. = Ec − Ereference
Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 9

Electrostatic Potential V
0.7V V(x)

E
0.7V
+ – x
N-Si
0

• Potential energy of a –q charged particle is related to

the electrostatic potential V(x):

P.E. = − qV
1
V= ( Ereference − Ec )
q
Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 10

5
 Electric Field
0.7V
V(x)

E 0.7V

+ – x
N-Si 0

dV 1 dEc
=− =
dx q dx

• Variation of Ec with position is called “band bending.”

Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 11

Non-Uniformly-Doped Semiconductor
• The position of EF relative to the band edges is
determined by the carrier concentrations, which is
determined by the dopant concentrations.
• In equilibrium, EF is constant; therefore, the band
energies vary with position:
Ec(x)

EF

Ev(x)

Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 12

6
• In equilibrium, there is no net flow of electrons or holes
JN = 0 and JP = 0

Î The drift and diffusion current components must

balance each other exactly. (A built-in electric field
exists, such that the drift current exactly cancels out the
diffusion current due to the concentration gradient.)
dn
J N = qnµ n + qDN =0
dx

Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 13

Consider a piece of a non-uniformly doped semiconductor:

n = N c e − ( Ec − EF ) / kT
n-type semiconductor
dn N dE
= − c e −( Ec − EF ) / kT c
Decreasing donor concentration dx kT dx
Ec(x) n dEc
=−
EF kT dx
n
=− q
Ev(x) kT

Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 14

7
 Einstein Relationship between D and µ
Under equilibrium conditions, JN = 0 and JP = 0
dn
J N = qnµ n + qDN =0
dx
qDN kT
0 = qnµ n − qn DN = µn
kT q

kT
Similarly, DP = µp
q
Note: The Einstein relationship is valid for a non-degenerate
semiconductor, even under non-equilibrium conditions
Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 15

Example: Diffusion Constant

What is the hole diffusion constant in a sample of silicon
with µp = 410 cm2 / V s ?

Solution:

 kT 
DP =   µ p = (26 mV) ⋅ 410 cm 2 V −1s −1 = 11 cm 2 /s
 q 

Remember: kT/q = 26 mV at room temperature.

Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 16

8
 Potential Difference due to n(x), p(x)
• The ratio of carrier densities (n, p) at two points depends
exponentially on the potential difference between these points:
n  n 
EF − Ei1 = kT ln 1  => Ei1 = EF − kT ln 1 
 ni   ni 
n 
Similarly, Ei2 = EF − kT ln 2 
 ni 
 n   n  n 
Therefore Ei1 − Ei2 = kT ln 2  − ln 1  = kT ln 2 
  ni   ni   n1 
1  
V2 − V1 = (Ei1 − Ei2 ) = kT ln n2 
q q  n1 
Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 17

Quasi-Neutrality Approximation
• If the dopant concentration profile varies gradually
with position, then the majority-carrier concentration
distribution does not differ much from the dopant
concentration distribution.

Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 18

9
 Summary
• Carrier mobility varies with temperature
– decreases w/ increasing T if lattice scattering dominant
– decreases w/ decreasing T if impurity scattering dominant

• Electron/hole concentration gradient Æ diffusion

dn dp
J N,diff = qDN J P,diff = −qDP
dx dx

• Current flowing in a semiconductor is comprised of

drift & diffusion components for electrons & holes
J = JN,drift + JN,diff + JP,drift + JP,diff
– In equilibrium, JN = JN,drift + JN,diff = 0
Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 19

• The characteristic constants of drift and diffusion

are related: D kT
=
µ q

• In thermal equilibrium, EF is constant

• Ec represents the electron potential energy

Variation in Ec(x) Æ variation in electric potential V
dEc dEv
Electric field = =
dx dx
• E - Ec = electron kinetic energy
Spring 2003 EE130 Lecture 5, Slide 20

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