Lecture 1: Semiconductor Fundamentals

Lattice Constant: a=5.431 =0.534 nm

Atoms completely inside the cell: 4, 4 atoms/cell
Atoms in the corners(1/8):8, 1 atom/cell
Atoms on the faces(1/2):6, 3 atoms/cell
Total: 8 atoms/cell
Cell Volume: 1.6x10
-22
cm
-3

Atomic Density = 5 x 10
22
atoms/cm
3

Miller Indices
h: inverse x
k: inverse y
l: inverse z

:
Electronic Properties of Si
- Pure Si has relatively high electrical resistivity at room temp
- The concentration (#/cm
3
) of conduction electrons & holes in
a semiconductor can be changed by:
o changing the temperature, adding dopants, applying an
electric field or irradiation
For Si:
10 3
10
i
n cm

~ at room temperature
*In a pure semiconductor: n = p = n
i

Lecture 2: Semiconductor Fundamentals
Important Quantities:
Electronic Charge
19
1.6 10 q C

=
Permittivity of Free Space

14
0
8.854 10 / F cm c

=
Boltzmann Constant
5
8.62 10 / k eV K

=
Planck Constant
15
4.14 10 h eV s

=
Free Electron Mass

31
0
9.1 10 m kg

=
Thermal Voltage
/ 26 kT q mV = (room temp)
19
1 1.6 10 eV J

=
*Electrons & holes tend to seek lowest-energy positions
*Electrons tend to fall and holes tend to float up
Electrostatic Potential, V and Electric Field, En
(1/ )( )
ref c
V q E E = ; / (1/ ) /
c
dV dx q dE dx E = =
Band Gap Energy (at room temperature T=300K)
Semiconductor Ge Si GaAs
Band Gap Energy(eV) 0.67 1.12 1.42







Density of States:
Near the band edges
* *
2 3
2 ( )
( )
n n c
c
m m E E
g E
t

= for
c
E E >
* *
2 3
2 ( )
( )
p p v
v
m m E E
g E
t

= for
v
E E s
*
0
1.18
n
m m = ;
*
0
0.81
p
m m = ;
Charge Neutrality Condition:
D A
N p N n + = +
Law of Mass Action:
2
i
np n =
2 2
( )
2 2
D A D A
i
N N N N
n n

= + + ;
2 2
( )
2 2
A D A D
i
N N N N
p n

= + +
n
i
is negligible in n or p-type semiconductors
Carrier Concentration vs. Temperature

Lecture 3: Semiconductor Fundamentals
Fermi Function: Probability that an available state at energy E is
occupied by an electron
( )/
1
( )
1
F
E E kT
f E
e

=
+

Boltzmann Approximation
If
( )/
3 , ( )
F E E kT
F
E E kT f E e

> ~
If
( )/
3 , ( ) 1
F E E kT
F
E E kT f E e

> ~
Equilibrium Carrier Concentrations
( ) ( ) ( )
c
n E g E f E = ; ( ) ( ) [1 ( )]
v
p E g E f E =
( )/ c F E E kT
c
n N e

= ;
*
3/ 2
2
2
2( )
n
c
m kT
N
h
t
= Si,300K,N
c
=3.22x10
19
cm
-3
( )/ F v E E kT
v
p N e

= ;
Si,300K,N
v
=1.83x10
19
cm
-3

/ 2
G
E kT
i c v
n N N e

= (Intrinsic Carrier Concentration)

Effective Densities of States at Band Edges(300K)





For an intrinsic semiconductor
( )/ F i E E kT
i
n ne

= ;
( )/ i F E E kT
i
p ne

=
Intrinsic Fermi Level
*
*
3
ln( ) ln( )
2 2 2 4 2
p c v v c v c v
F i
c n
m E E kT N E E kT E E
E E
N m
+ + +
= + = + ~
n-type: Fermi Level is near E
c,
p-type: Fermi Level is near E
v

Dependence of E
F
on Temperature

Lecture 4: Semiconductor Fundamentals
Three Primary Types of Carrier Action
- Drift: charged particle motion due to E Field
- Diffusion: particle motion due to concentration or
temperature gradient
- Recombination-generation (R-G)
Carrier Scattering
- Lattice Scattering or Phonon Scattering increases with T
- Carrier carrier Scattering is only significant at high carrier
concentrations
Carrier Mobility
*
/
n mn n
q m t ;
*
/
p mp p
q m t
Electron and Hole Mobilities for Intrinsic
Semiconductors(300K)









Notation Interpretation
(h k l) Crystal plane
{h k l} Equivalent Planes
[h k l] Crystal Direction
<h k l> Equivalent Directions
Si Ge GaAs
N
c
(cm
-3
) 2.8x10
19
1.04x10
19
4.7x10
17

N
v
(cm
-3
) 1.04x10
19
6.0x10
18
7.0x10
18

Si Ge GaAs InAs

n
(cm
2
/Vs) 1400 3900 8500 30000

p
(cm
2
/Vs) 470 1900 400 500

Mobility Dependence on Doping

Mobility is dependent on temperature
- Decreases with increasing T if lattice scattering is dominant
- Decreases with decreasing T if impurity scattering is
dominant
Conductivity and Resistivity
, p drift p
J qp E = ;
, n drift n
J qn E =
, ,
( )
drift p drift n drift p n
J J J qp qn E E o = + = + =

Lecture 5: Semiconductor Fundamentals
Diffusion Current:
,
/
n diff n
J qD dn dx = ,
,
/
p diff p
J qD dp dx =
Total Current
n n n
dn
J qn E qD
dx
= + ;
p p p
dp
J qp E qD
dx
=
Non-Uniformly Doped Semiconductor
2 1 1 2 2 1
1
( )( ) ( )ln( / )
i i
kT
V V E E n n
q q
= =
Built in Electric Field
( )
dn n
qE
dx kT
= ; for n-type semiconductor
Einstein Relationship between D, (in equilibrium)
/ 0
n n n
J qn E qD dn dx = + = ; / 0
p p p
J qp E qD dn dx = =
/ / D kT q =
Charge Neutrality Condition: n p A = A
1 1
( ) ( )
D
D
kT dn kT dN
E
q n dx q N dx
= =
Indirect Recombination Rate:
p T
R G p
p p
c N p
t t

c A
= A =
c

For electrons in p-type material:
n
n n
t t
c A
=
c

For holes in n-type material:
p
p p
t t
c A
=
c


General Case
2
1 1
( ) ( )
i
p n
n p pn n
t t n n p p t t
cA cA
= =
c c + + +

Lecture 6: Semiconductor Fundamentals
Continuity Equations
1 ( )
n
L
n
n J x n
G
t q x t
c c A
= +
c c
;
( ) 1 p
L
p
J x p p
G
t q x t
c c A
= +
c c


Carrier Concentration Notation (Uniformly Doped)
*only for minority carrier concentrations
2
2
p p p
n L
n
n n n
D G
t x t
cA c A A
= +
c c
;
2
2
n n n
p L
p
p p p
D G
t x t
cA c A A
= +
c c

Special Cases:
Steady state: 0
n
p
t
cA
=
c
, 0
p
n
t
cA
=
c

No Diffusion Current:
2
2
0
n
p
p
D
x
c A
=
c
,
2
2
0
p
n
n
D
x
c A
=
c

No R-G: 0
n
p
p
t
A
= , 0
p
n
n
t
A
=
Diffusion Length:
/ / / n p n p n p
L D t

Quasi-Fermi Levels:
( )/
n i
F E kT
i
n ne

= ;
( )/
i p
E F kT
i
p ne

=

Lecture 7: MS Contacts
Poissons Equation:
s
dE
dx

c
=
Charge Density: ( )
D A
q p n N N = +

Work Equation
- Minimum energy to free an electron from solid to outside
the solid
- E
0
, vacuum energy level
0 F
E E u= ,
0 c
E E _ = , for Si, 4.03eV _ =
Ideal M-S Contact:
M S
u > u , n-type, : e S M
Schottky Barrier Height:
Bn M
_ u = u
( )
bi Bn c F FB
qV E E = u
Ideal M-S Contact:
M S
u < u , n-type ohmic, : e S M



Ideal M-S Contact:
M S
u < u , p-type, : e M S
Bp G M
E _ u = + u
( )
bi Bp F V FB S M
qV E E = u = u u
Ideal M-S Contact:
M S
u > u , p-type, ohmic : e M S
The Depletion Approximation
( )
D A
q N N = , 0 x W s s ; 0 = , x W >
Depletion Width, W
2 ( ) 2 ( )
S bi A S bi A
D A
V V V V
W
qN qN
c c +
= =
Lecture 8: MS Contacts
Small Signal Capacitance: /
S
C A W c =
/
( 1)
A
qV kT
S
I AJ e = ;
*
/ 2
0
120
B
kT n
S
m
J T e
m
u
=

Lecture 9: pn Junction Diodes
Depletion Width for Degenerately Doped pn junction
2
( )
( )
S bi A
n
D A D
V N
x
q N N N
c
=
+
;
2
( )
( )
S bi D D
p n
A A D A
V N N
x x
q N N N N
c
= =
+

2 1 1
( )
S bi
n p
A D
V
W x x
q N N
c
= + = +
2
ln( )
D A
bi
i
kT N N
V
q n
=
For a one-sided junction
ln
2
G
bi
i
E kT N
V
q n
= + ;
2
( )
S
bi A
W V V
qN
c
=










Lecture 10: pn Junction Diodes
Carrier Concentrations
p side V
A
=0 n side V
A
=0
0
( )
p p A
p x N =
0
( )
n n D
n x N =
2
0
( )
i
p p
A
n
n x
N
=
2
0
( )
i
n n
D
n
p x
N
=

Law of the Junction:
/ 2 A
qV kT
i
pn n e =
p side V
A
0 n side V
A
0
( )
p p A
p x N = ( )
n n D
n x N =
2
/ /
0
( )
A A
qV kT qV kT i
p p p
A
n
n x e n e
N
= =

2
/ /
0
( )
A A
qV kT qV kT i
n n n
D
n
p x e p e
N
= =

2
/ ''/
( ) ( 1)
A P
qV kT x L i
p p
A
n
n x e e
N

A =

2
/ '/
( ) ( 1)
A P
qV kT x L i
n n
D
n
p x e e
N

A =


Current Density
p side:
''/ /
0
( 1)
p A
x L qV kT n
n p
n
D
J q n e e
L

=
n side:
'/ /
0
( 1)
p A
x L p qV kT
p n
p
D
J q p e e
L

=
/ 2
[ ]( 1)
A
p qV kT n
i
n A p D
D D
J qn e
L N L N
= +
Ideal Diode Equation
/
0
( 1)
A
qV kT
I AJ I e = =
2 2
0
/ /
( ) ( )
i A i D
N P
n p
n N n N
I qAL qAL
t t
= +

Lecture 11: Narrow-base Diode
/
0
sinh[( ' ') / ]
( ') ( 1)( )
sinh[ '/ ]
A
qV kT c P
n n
c P
x x L
p x p e
x L

A = , 0 ' '
c
x x < <
sinh( )
2
e e

/
0
'( 1)
A
qV kT
I I e = ;
2
0
cosh( '/ )
'
sinh( '/ )
p i c P
p D c P
D n x L
I qA
L N x L
=

Approximation:
2
0
'
'
p i
c D
D n
I qA
x N
= ;
/
0
'
( ') ( 1)(1 )
'
A
qV kT
n n
c
x
p x p e
x
A =

General Equation
/ / 2
0
[ ]( 1) ( 1)
' '
A A
qV kT qV kT P N
i
N D P A
D D
I qAn e I e
W N W N
= + =

Lecture 12: pn Junction Diodes
Breakdown Voltage
2 ( )
bi BR
CR
s
qN V V
E
c
+
=
2
2
s CR
BR bi
E
V V
qN
c
=
*V
BR
decreases with increasing N and/or decreasing E
G

Avalanche: V
BR
increases with increasing T
Tunneling: V
BR
decreases with increasing T

Net Generation
Reverse Bias
0
2
i
R G
qAnW
I
t

= ;
1 1
0
1
( )
2
P n
i i
n p
n n
t t t +
Forward Bias
/ 2
A
qV kT
R G i
I qAnWe

Minority Carrier Charge Storage
( )
N P P N
Q qA n x L = A ; ( )
P n n p
Q qA p x L = A
Long Base:
2
/
( 1)
A
qV kT i
N N
A
n
Q qA e L
N
= ;
2
/
( 1)
A
qV kT i
P P
D
n
Q qA e L
N
=
Short Base
2
/
1
( 1) '
2
A
qV kT i
N P
A
n
Q qA e W
N
= ;
2
/
1
( 1) '
2
A
qV kT i
P N
D
n
Q qA e W
N
=
Steady State Diode Current
Long Base:
N P
n p
Q Q
I
t t
= + , L Dt =
Short Base:
, ,
N P
tr n tr p
Q Q
I
t t
= + ; ' 2 W Dt =





Small Signal Model:
Small Signal Conductance
/
0
/
A
qV kT DC
q I
G I e
kT kT q
= ~
Diffusion Capacitance:
/
p DC
D
I
C
kT q
t
=
Depletion Capacitance
s
J
C A
W
c
=