PH221

Lec. 5: Physics
applications of Diodes

Pradeep Sarin
Nitin Pawar, Swapnali Gharat, Snehal Narvekar,
Nilesh Bobade
 PN junction review
(spatial) not really!
P N
Want
to
meet!
Constraints: (1) potential barrier
(2) quantum mechanics
□ PH221 Slide 2
 Today, focus on forward bias
Forward
hP Ne
Drift
Diffusion
Recombination
What happens during
Recombination?
n+p=?

𝑅→0
□ PH221 Slide 3
 e, h distribution (in eV)
Probability of occupation
Eg= 1.2eV
Eg= 1.2eV But some energy levels
are ‘forbidden’

Electron energy →
Density of states ←*↑

F-D distribution

# of carriers P N
Sze Chapter 1
□ PH221 Slide 4
 Recombination @ PN jn.
In k space
𝐸3 𝑘3

𝑘𝑥 𝑘𝑦 𝑘𝑧
𝐸4 𝑘4

n at 𝐸(𝑘1 ) + p at 𝐸(𝑘2 )
→photon ℏ𝜔 = 𝐸2 𝑘2 − 𝐸1 𝑘1
Also photon ℏ𝜔′ = 𝐸3 𝑘3 − 𝐸4 𝑘4
+ many other ℏ𝜔′′
Depends on band structure: DOS & F-D
□ PH221 Slide 5
 Recombination @ PN jn.
But the diode doesn’t In k space
glow?

ℎ𝑐
𝐸= → 𝜆 𝑛𝑚
𝜆
1240𝑒𝑉
𝜆𝑆𝑖−𝑃𝑁 = ~ 1107 𝑛𝑚
𝐸𝑔

Si has 400nm
indirect
bandgap 650nm
□ PH221 Slide 6
 LED : Diode with optical
emission
Instead of Si, use other semiconductors
with direct bandgap → higher conc. of n,p
Bandgap determines “color” of LED
RED→GaAsP, Blue → GaN
Geometry:
sides of
recombination
zone are
exposed
□ PH221 Slide 7
 LED’s have a narrow cone
of emission
Typically ~ 60○
Conical lens in plastic body

20x microscope
□
Reflector (metal back contact)
PH221 Slide 8
 LED’s in practice (Lab 5)
Different semiconductor → different Eg
→ Different VT
Have to find VT|LED !
Ideal Shockley equation applies to Ge →
Different VT for Si 1N4148 (Lab 3!)
Different VT for Red LED (Lab 5!) 𝑉
𝐼𝐹 = 𝐼𝑆 𝑒 𝑉𝑇
−1
𝑁𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝐼𝑆

Light output ∝ forward current 𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑉 = 𝑉𝑇

𝐼𝐹 = 𝐼𝑆 𝑒 − 1 = 1.7𝐼𝑆

Why?
Recombination rate ∝ # of available n, p at junction∝ IF
We need to control IF precisely to control light output
□ PH221 Slide 9
 Lab 5 is about…
Precision measurements
Experimental signals must be clean
and noise-free – are your connections solid? did you
label those connections last time??

Experimental techniques
– fight with your DSO!

No cursors in X/Y Cursors in YT

□ PH221 Slide 10
 Lab 5 is about…
Fight with your LED! 𝐼𝑓 = 𝐼𝑆
𝑉
𝑒 𝑉𝑇 −1
𝑉𝑇 = 𝜂𝑘𝐵 𝑇
Changes as the LED heats up!

Aim: Control light output

from LED precisely
? 𝑉
Some math: 𝑒 𝑉𝑇 −1
𝑉+𝜖
For V = V𝑇 + 𝜖, 𝑒𝑉𝑇 − 1 is linear 𝐼 ∝ 𝜖 ; BUT, 𝜖 is very small!
y axis also has very small range. Small voltages are problematic
experimentally!
□ PH221 Slide 11
 LED → Diode Laser
LED emits incoherent light
Want coherent light:
single 𝜆, all photons in phase

3 semiconductors – band structure so that

we trap e,h in a narrow physical dimension
□ PH221 Slide 12
 Lasers in practice

Geometry engineered to emit

directed, coherent light

Current control
is important!
□ PH221 Slide 13