Scribd
Upload
29 views

Outline - Semiconductor Fundamentals (Cont'd)

1) The lecture discusses semiconductor fundamentals including the derivation of the continuity equations and minority carrier diffusion equations. 2) The continuity equations describe the transport of electrons and holes in semiconductors based on conservation principles. 3) Under certain assumptions, the general continuity equations can be simplified to the minority carrier diffusion equations, which describe the behavior of minority carriers in n-type and p-type materials.

Uploaded by

Vamshi Krishna
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
29 views

Outline - Semiconductor Fundamentals (Cont'd)

1) The lecture discusses semiconductor fundamentals including the derivation of the continuity equations and minority carrier diffusion equations. 2) The continuity equations describe the transport of electrons and holes in semiconductors based on conservation principles. 3) Under certain assumptions, the general continuity equations can be simplified to the minority carrier diffusion equations, which describe the behavior of minority carriers in n-type and p-type materials.

Uploaded by

Vamshi Krishna
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 14

Lecture 6

OUTLINE
Semiconductor Fundamentals (contd)
Continuity equations
Minority carrier diffusion equations
Minority carrier diffusion length
Quasi-Fermi levels

Reading: Pierret 3.4-3.5; Hu 4.7


Derivation of Continuity Equation
Consider carrier-flux into/out-of an infinitesimal volume:

Area A, volume Adx

Jn(x) Jn(x+dx)
dx

n n
Adx J n ( x) A J n ( x dx) A
1
Adx
t q n

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 2


J n ( x)
J n ( x dx) J n ( x) dx
x
n 1 J n ( x) n

t q x n

n 1 J n ( x) n
GL
Continuity t q x n
Equations:
p 1 J p ( x) p
GL
t q x p

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 3


Derivation of
Minority Carrier Diffusion Equations
The minority carrier diffusion equations are derived from
the general continuity equations, and are applicable only for
minority carriers.
Simplifying assumptions:
1. The electric field is small, such that
n n
J n q n n qDn qDn in p-type material
x x
p p
J p q p p qD p qD p in n-type material
x x
2. n0 and p0 are independent of x (i.e. uniform doping)
3. low-level injection conditions prevail
EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 4
Starting with the continuity equation for electrons:
n 1 J n ( x) n
GL
t q x n
n0 n 1 n0 n n
qDn GL
t q x x n
n n n 2
Dn GL
t x 2
n

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 5


Carrier Concentration Notation
The subscript n or p is used to explicitly denote n-type or
p-type material, e.g.
pn is the hole (minority-carrier) concentration in n-type matl
np is the electron (minority-carrier) concentration in n-type matl

Thus the minority carrier diffusion equations are


n p 2 n p n p
Dn GL
t x 2
n
pn 2 pn pn
Dp GL
t x 2
p

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 6


Simplifications (Special Cases)
n p pn
Steady state: 0 0
t t
2 n p 2 pn
No diffusion current: Dn 0 Dp 0
x 2
x 2

No R-G:
n p pn
0 0
n p

No light: GL 0

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 7


Example
Consider an n-type Si sample illuminated at one end:
constant minority-carrier injection at x = 0 pn (0) pn 0
steady state; no light absorption for x > 0

Lp is the hole diffusion length: L p D p p


EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 8
pn pn
2
The general solution to the equation 2
x 2
Lp
x / Lp
pn ( x) Ae Be
x / Lp
is

where A, B are constants determined by boundary conditions:

pn () 0
pn (0) pn 0
Therefore, the solution is
x / Lp
pn ( x) pn0e
EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 9
Minority Carrier Diffusion Length
Physically, Lp and Ln represent the average distance that
minority carriers can diffuse into a sea of majority carriers
before being annihilated.

Example: ND = 1016 cm-3; p = 10-6 s

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 10


Quasi-Fermi Levels
Whenever n = p 0, np ni2. However, we would like to
preserve and use the relations:
( E F Ei ) / kT ( Ei E F ) / kT
n ni e p ni e

These equations imply np = ni2, however. The solution is to


introduce two quasi-Fermi levels FN and FP such that

n ni e ( FN Ei ) / kT p ni e ( Ei FP ) / kT

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 11


Example: Quasi-Fermi Levels
Consider a Si sample with ND = 1017 cm-3 and n = p = 1014 cm-3.
What are p and n ?

What is the np product ?

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 12


Find FN and FP :
n
FN Ei kT ln
ni

p
FP Ei kT ln
ni

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 13


Summary
The continuity equations are established based on
conservation of carriers, and therefore hold generally:
n 1 J n ( x) n p 1 J n ( x) p
GL GL
t q x n t q x p
The minority carrier diffusion equations are derived from
the continuity equations, specifically for minority carriers
under certain conditions (small E-field, low-level injection,
uniform doping profile):
n p 2 n p n p pn 2 pn pn
DN GL DP GL
t x 2
n t x 2
p

EE130/230M Spring 2013 Lecture 6, Slide 14

You might also like