Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Rectification in pn Junctions
* The rectifier equation
* Electron and hole currents
* R-G currents
Spring 2014
Today we develop a QUANTITATIVE analysis that allows us to compute the CURRENT that
flows through a pn junction in response to the application of an EXTERNAL voltage (Va)
* We begin by noting that a pn junction may be broken up into two QUASI-NEUTRAL
regions that surround the DEPLETION region
For the sake of the analysis here we will assume that the ELECTRIC FIELD in
these quasi-neutral regions is exactly equal to ZERO
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QUASI-NEUTRAL
REGION
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x!=!#xp
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x!=!0
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x!=!+xn
QUASI-NEUTRAL
REGION
E(x)
(x)
+qND
-xp
qNA
Spring 2014
+xn
x
Subject 11, Slide 2/16
Since the electric field is equal to zero the electron and hole DRIFT currents that flow in
the quasi-neutral regions must ALSO be equal to zero
dn p
J N = J N drift + J N diffusion = qDn
dx
J P = J P drift + J P diffusion = qD p
dpn
dx
(11.1)
(11.2)
Spring 2014
" x%
" qVa % %
ni2 "
pn (x) =
$exp $
' 1' exp $ ' , L p = D p
ND #
k
T
# B & &
# Lp &
(10.9)
" qVa % %
" x%
ni2 "
n p (x) =
$exp $
' 1' exp $ ' , Ln = D n
NA #
# kBT & &
# Ln &
(10.8)
By combining Eqs. 10.9, 10.10, 11.1, and 11.2 we thus obtain expressions for the
electron and hole CURRENT DENSITIES in the junction
(11.3)
# x&
# qVa & &
D p ni2 #
dpn
J P = qD p
=q
%exp %
( 1( exp % (
dx
Lp N D $
k
T
$ B ' '
$ Lp '
(11.4)
* Note the DIFFERENT way in which the direction x is defined in these two equations
Eq. 11.4
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x!=!#xp
x = 0
Eq. 11.3
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x!=!#xp x!=!+x
x!=!0
x!=!0
n
x!=!+xn
-xp
x = 0
(x)
(x)
Spring 2014
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+" !"
+" !"
+" !"
+" !"
+"
-xp
+qND
+qND
By SUMMING the electron and hole currents we obtain the TOTAL junction current
* Due to Kirchhoff's law we need only perform this sum at a SINGLE point within the
junction and we do this here by summing the currents at x = 0 (justified later!)
! D n2 Dp n2 $
! ! qV $ $
a
n
i
i
I = A(J N + J P ) = I o #exp #
+
&
& 1& , I o = qA #
" " kBT % %
" Ln N A L p N D %
(11.5)
1. WE EVALUATE JN HERE
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x!=!#xp
x = 0
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x!=!#xp x!=!+x
x!=!0
x!=!0
n
x!=!+xn
x = 0
+qND
-xp
(x)
(x)
Spring 2014
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+" !"
+" !"
+"
-xp
+x
+x
+qND
The IDEAL-DIODE equation (Eq. 11.5) predicts a forward-bias current that grows
dramatically once Va > kBT/q
! D n2 Dp n2 $
! ! qV $ $
a
n
i
i
I = A(J N + J P ) = I o #exp #
+
&
& 1& , I o = qA #
k
T
L
N
L
N
" " B % %
" n A
p
D%
(11.5)
* Under REVERSE bias the current is expected to be roughly CONSTANT and equal to
the REVERSE SATURATION CURRENT (Io) whose value is NEGLIGIBLY small in the
range of pA
I (mA)
Dn ni2
I o = qA
, N D >> N A
Ln N A
I (mA)
-5
-5
-4
-4
-3
-3
-2
-2
-1
-1
Spring 2014
1
-2
REVERSE BIAS:
NEGLIGIBLE
CURRENT
FORWARD
CONDUCTION
-2
D p ni2
I o = qA
, N A >> N D
Lp N D
V (V)
The rectifier equation gives the TOTAL current that flows through the junction under the
influence of an externally applied voltage
* This total current is INDEPENDENT of position within the pn junction as required by
Kirchoffs current law
* The INDIVIDUAL electron and hole currents are generally NOT independent of
position however
In the QUASI-NEUTRAL regions Equations 11.3 & 11.4 show that the MINORITY
carrier currents DECAY exponentially with distance due to recombination
Spring 2014
(11.3)
# x&
# qVa & &
D p ni2 #
dpn
J P = qD p
=q
%exp %
( 1( exp % (
dx
Lp N D $
k
T
$ B ' '
$ Lp '
(11.4)
INSIDE the depletion regions the electric field is NOT equal to zero and we must use the
continuity equations to compute the electron and hole currents
* If we consider a diode under STEADY-STATE conditions then the continuity
equations (Eqs. 7.4 & 7.5) inside the depletion region become
n 1
n
n
= JN +
+
t q
t thermal t Other
(7.4)
RG
p
1
p
p
= JP +
+
t
q
t thermal t Other
(7.5)
RG
n
1 dJ N n
=0=
+
t
q dx t Thermal
(11.6)
RG
p
1 dJ P p
=0=
+
t
q dx t Thermal
RG
NO R-G PROCESSES!
Spring 2014
(11.7)
NO R-G PROCESSES!
With these considerations in mind the electron and hole currents inside a pn junction
may be sketched as shown below
* The minority-carrier currents decay exponentially away from the edges of the
depletion region
The majority-carrier currents counteract this variation in a manner that keeps
the TOTAL current CONSTANT at any particular point
* Inside the depletion region the electron and hole currents are CONSTANT
JN,P
JN,P
JP
2. MAJORITY CURRENT
COMPENSATES FOR CHANGE
OF MINORITY CURRENT
JN
JP
JN
1. DECAY ON A FEW
MINORITY-CARRIER
DIFFUSION LENGTHS, Ln
1. DECAY ON A FEW
MINORITY-CARRIER
DIFFUSION LENGTH, Lp
-xp
-xp
Spring 2014
2. MAJORITY CURRENT
COMPENSATES FOR CHANGE
OF MINORITY CURRENT
xn
xn
We have seen that in FORWARD bias the minority-carrier concentrations are INCREASED
around the depletion region
* In REVERSE bias these concentrations are SUPPRESSED due to the associated
suppression of carrier diffusion across the junction
The depletion region essentially acts as a SINK for minority carriers
* Reverse-bias voltages of only a few kBT/q reduce the minority concentrations to
ZERO at the edge of the depletion region
n
LAW OF THE JUNCTION (Eq. 10.5):
MINORITY
CONCENTRATIONS
SUPPRESSED NEAR
DEPLETION
REGION DUE TO
INCREASED
BARRIER FOR
DIFFUSION
! qVa $
np = n exp #
&
k
T
" B %
2
i
Va < 0
ni2/ND
ni2/ND
ni2/NA
ni2/NA
-xp
-xp
xn
xn
R-G Currents
In deriving the rectifier equation it was assumed that NO R-G processes occur within the
depletion region
* In real junctions typically those fabricated in Si and GaAs it is found that in
reverse bias or with a small forward bias the current can noticeably EXCEED Io
This is due to ADDITIONAL current that is generated by R-G processes taking
place within the depletion region itself
* In REVERSE bias mode GENERATION of electron holes pairs in the depletion region
enhances the DRIFT current above its expected value
ELECTRON
DRIFT
R-G ELECTRON
DRIFT
qVeff
e-h PAIR
GENERATION
Ec
EF
R-G HOLE
DRIFT
HOLE
DRIFT
Spring 2014
Ev
R-G Currents
In FORWARD bias mode the main effect of R-G processes is to cause an ENHANCEMENT
of the RECOMBINATION rate
* Remember that forward biasing basically INCREASES the carrier concentrations in
the depletion regions above their equilibrium values
* This in turn gives rise to an enhanced recombination rate within the depletion region
that effectively corresponds to an ENHANCEMENT of the DIFFUSION current
ELECTRON
DRIFT
ELECTRON
DIFFUSION
RECOMBINATION OF ELECTRONS AND HOLES
INSIDE THE DEPLETION REGION IN A FORWARD
BIASED pn JUNCTION
Ec
EF
qVeff
Ev
HOLE
DIFFUSION
Spring 2014
HOLE
DRIFT
EE 430/530: Fundamentals of Solid-State Devices
R-G Currents
To compute the current due to R-G processes in the depletion region we note that for
every electron-hole PAIR created or destroyed per unit time in the depletion region ONE
electron per unit time flows into or out of the diode contacts
* SUMMING over either the electrons or holes created within the depletion region per
unit time should therefore give the additional current due to R-G processes
xn =0
%
%
%
I RG = qA
xp
n
dx
t thermal
(11.8)
RG
Note here that the minus sign accounts for the POLARITY of the current
* Previously (see Subjects 5 & 6) we have been able to express the rate of change of
carrier concentrations due to R-G processes using expressions of the form
n
n
=
t thermal
n
(11.9)
RG
This approach CANNOT be used here however since the R-G processes taking
place in the depletion region do NOT correspond to low-level injection
Spring 2014
R-G Currents
IR-G must be calculated by properly solving for STEADY-STATE conditions under R-G
processes with the depletion region an analysis that is BEYOND the scope of our present
discussion
* In REVERSE bias it may be shown that the additional drift current due to electronhole pair creation may be written as
I RG =
qAni
W
2 o
(11.10)
! D n2 Dp n2 $
i
I o = qA # n i +
& > I RG
L
N
L
N
" n A
p
D%
Spring 2014
(11.11)
R-G Currents
While the ideal-diode equation predicts a CONSTANT current (-Io) for a wide range of
reverse bias the R-G current GROWS with increasing |Va|
I RG =
qAni
W
2 o
(11.10)
* The growth of the R-G current follows from the increase in the WIDTH of the
depletion region under reverse biasing
As the width of the depletion region grows the volume involved in the creation
of electron-hole pairs INCREASES leading to a larger R-G current
REVERSE BIAS, Va (V)
-40
-40
-30
-30
-20
-20
-10
-10
Spring 2014
-200
Si pn JUNCTION
300 K
-300
-200
-100 -100
REVERSE-BIAS
R-G CURRENT
GROWS WITH
INCREASING
BIASING
REVERSE-BIAS
BREAKDOWN
DIFFERENT IN
ORIGIN TO R-G
CURRENT
NOTE UNITS!
-300
R-G Currents
For small FORWARD bias it is found that the R-G current typically varies with voltage as
$ qVa '
k BT
I RG exp &
,
V
>
)
a
q
% k BT (
(13.5)
10-1
= 1
10-3
Si
GaAs
10-5
= 1
= 2
= 2
10-7
300 K
10-9
0.4
0.8
1.2