Sample Exam # 1 Solution

ECEN 3320 Fall 2013

Semiconductor Devices
September 23, 2013 Due October 2, 2013
1. Consider a step pn junction in GaAs at T = 300 K. At zero bias, only 20% of the total
depletion region width is on the p-side. The built-in potential is i = 1.20V. Determine the
(a) the shallow acceptor level on the p-side, Na ,
Solution: The xp = 0.2xd that yields the relation
Nd
Na + Nd

0.2 =
or Na = 4Nd . From
Na Nd =

n2i exp

i
kT

with n2i = 4 1012 then gives

Na2 = 1.6 1013 exp(46.3) 2.1 1033
or Na 4.56 1016 /cm3 .
(b) the shallow donor level on the n-side, Nd ,
Solution:
Nd = Na /4 = 1.14 1016 cm3 .
(c) the n-side depletion layer width, xn ,
Solution: The overall width xd is given by
s

2s
q

(2)(12.9)(8.85) 1014
1.6 1019

xd =
=

1
1
+
(i )
Na Nd


1
1
+
(1.2)
16
4.56 10
1.14 1016

142.7 105 (1.09 1016 ) (1.2)

18.7 1010 4.3 105 = 0.43m

and we have that

xn = 0.8xd .343m
1

(d) the p-side depletion layer width, xp and

Solution: Here we have that
xn = 0.2xd 0.086m
(e) the maximum negative electric field field value in the depletion region Emax .
Solution: The maximum (negative) electric field is given by
E

q
q
Nd xn = Na xp
s
s
19
1.6 10
=
(1.14 1016 )(0.343 104 )
(12.9)8.85 1014
= 1.4 107 (1.14 1016 )(0.343 104 ) 5.47 104 V/cm
=

2. Consider a p-doped piece of silicon with Na = 1018 /cm3 that is uniformly illuminated with
light of intensity 1.0 W/cm2 and photon energy of 2.0 eV. Assume the silicon has an absorption
coefficient of n = 103 /cm and a minority carrier lifetime of 105 /s.
(a) Write the equation that determines the free excess carrier concentration n(t).
Solution: The differential equation is given by
n(t) n(t)
+
= Gn
t
n
with solution given by


n(t) = Gn n

t
1 exp
n




(b) Find the carrier generation rate, Gn

Solution: The gneration rate is given by
Gn = n

1
Iopt
= 103 /cm
3.2 1021 /cm3
Eph
3.2 1019 cm2 s

(c) Find n(t).

Solution: Here we find that
16

n(t) = 3.2 10 /cm

1 exp



105 s

(d) Find the difference between the quasi-Fermi level for electrons and Fermi level, Fn Ef ,
as a function of time and
Solution: We have that p Na = 1018 . With ni = 1010 then n 102 . We Ef Ei
that is given by


(Ei Ef ) = kT ln

p
ni

= kT ln(108 ) = kT 8 ln(10) = 18.4/38.6 = 0.477(eV ).

We know that


Fn Ei = kT ln

n0 + n(t)
ni

= kT (1010 (102 + n(t))).

At steady state then



Fn Ei = kT ln(108 + 3.2 106 1 exp

t
n



that has value -0.477 eV at time t = 0 and value 0.388 eV as t . The Fn Ef

then rises from the Fermi
level (that is from 0 eV) to the maximum (at 0.808 eV)
following the 1 exp t approximately. You should try to plot it.
(e) the difference between the Fermi level and quasi-Fermi level for holes, Ef Fp , as a
function of time.
Solution: Here we have
p + p
Fp Ef = kT ln
p


= kT ln 1 + 3.2 10

t
1 exp
n



that has value 0 at t = 0 and value
0.032kT as t . The result is small but does
approximately follow 1 exp t .
3. Consider a semiconductor crystal on which we measure electron and hole masses to be me =
mh = m0 and an intrinsic carrier concentration of ni = 108 cm3 . We then add n-type dopants
until the n0 = 1016 cm3 . We then illuminate with a flux of 2 eV photons sufficient to raise
the quasi Fermi level for the holes to that for the Fermi level for electrons. We measure an
aborption coefficient of = 103 /cm and relaxation time of p = 1ms. Find:
(a) the energy gap Eg ,
Solution: We have that
Nv
Eg = kT ln
ni


where
Nv = 2.8 1019 /1.083/2 2.5 1019
that gives
Eg = ln(2.5 1011 )/19.3 = 1.36 eV
(b) the n0 and p0 of the intrinsic crystal,
Solution: Both the n0 and p0 will be given by ni where ni = 108 .
(c) the Fermi level, Ef , after doping,
Solution: Here we have that


Ef Ei = kT ln

Nd
ni
3

= ln(108 )/38.6 = 0.477 eV

(d) the po in the doped crystal,

Solution: The p0 remains equal to the ni so that p0 ni = 108 /cm3 .
(e) the photon intensity (per cm2 ) to match the difference of the quasi-Fermi from intrinsic
Fermi level to the difference of the Fermi level to the intrinsic level.
Solution: We will need the p = n0 to make the Ei Fp = Ef Ei . The steady state
p = Gp p . As p = 103 then we need Gp = 1019 . We further have
Gp = p

Iopt
Eph

or that
Iopt = 3.2 1019 1019 /103 = 3.2 mW/cm2
4. Consider a semiconductor crystal with a gap of 1.42 eV, electron effective mass of me =
0.067m0 and a hole mass of mh = 0.45m0 , that is, for GaAs. Find:
(a) the intrinsic Fermi level from the conduction band edge,
Solution: We have that
Nc
Ei Ec = kT ln
ni


4.7 1017
= ln
2.1 106

/38.6 ln(2.5 1011 )/38.6 0.68 eV

(b) the probability that an electron state is occupied at Ec + kT /2,

Solution: Here we need to plug in 0.68+kT/2 to
(E Ei + kT /2)
exp
kT


f (E)|Ec +kT /2

= exp(26.7) = 2.5 1012

(c) the probability that an electron state is vacant at Ev kT /2,

Solution:
(Ei Ev + kT /2)
= exp(0.74 38.6 + 0.5)
kT
= 2.5 1012 6.4 1013


1 f (E)|Ev kT /2 exp

(d) the equilibrium electron concentration at Ec + kT /2, and

Solution: Here we need to multiple the probability by the density of states evaluated
at the energy Ec + kT /2. Writing
gc (Ec + kT /2) =

1
2 2

2me
h2

3/2 q

kT /2

= 0.051 2.12 1057

1.6 1019 /38.60.0673/2

= (.108)(0.415)1047 0.0673/2 = 4.48 1045 0.0673/2 /J/m3

= 7.17 1020 /eV/cm3 0.0673/2
We then find that
f (Ec + kT /2)gc (Ec + kT /2) = 2.5 1012 0.12 1020
= 3.0 107 /eV/cm3
4

(e) the equilibrium hole concentration at Ev kT /2

Solution: The gv (E) here is given by
gv (Ev kT /2) 7.17 1020 /eV/cm3 0.453/2
We then find that
[1 f (Ev kT /2)]gv (Ev kT /2) 6.4 1013 2.15 1020 = 1.38 107 /eV/cm3

Useful Relations
1
exp [(E Ef )/kT ] + 1

F (E) =
gc (E) =

1
2 2

2me
h2

3/2 p

E Ec

gv (E) =

1
2 2

2mh
h2

3/2 p

Ev E

Ev Ei
Ei Ec
ni = Nv exp
ni = Nc exp
kT
kT




Ef Ec
Ev Ef
n0 = Nc exp
p0 = Nv exp
kT
kT
2
n0 p 0 = ni




Ev Fp
Fn Ec
p0 + p = Nv exp
n0 + n = Nc exp
kT
kT


n
1 Jn
=
+ Gn Rn
t
q x
n
+ qnn E
Jn = qDn
x
Iopt
Gn = n
Eph
n
Rn =
n

1 Jp
p
=
+ Gp Rp
t
q x
p
Jp = qDp
+ qpn E
x
Iopt
Gp = p
Eph
p
Rp =
p

i Va =
Na xd
xn =
=
Na + Nd

2s Na
1
(i Va )
q Nd Nd + Na
xd = xn + xp
Na Nd

qNd x2n qNd x2p

+
2s
2s
Nd xd
xp =
=
Na + Nd

2s
q

2s Nd
1
(i Va )
q Na Nd + Na

1
1
+
(i Va )
=
Na Nd


i Va
= n2i exp
kT


Si Material Parameters
Band gap energy at 300 K:
Eg =1.124 eV
Relative permittivity:
s = 11.7
Intrinsic carrier concentration at 300 K:
ni = 1 1010 cm3
Effective density of states at 300 K:
Nc = 2.8 1019 cm3 , Nv = 1.04 1019 cm3
Effective mass:
me = 1.08m0 , mh = 0.81m0
Mobility:
n = 1400 cm2 /Vs,p = 450 cm2 /Vs
Diffusion coefficients:
Dn = 34.6cm2 /s, Dp = 12.3 cm2 /s

GaAs Material Parameters

Band gap energy at 300 K:
Eg =1.424 eV
Relative permittivity:
s = 12.9
Intrinsic carrier concentration at 300 K:
ni = 2.1 106 cm3
Effective density of states at 300 K:
Nc = 4.7 1017 cm3 , Nv = 9.0 1018 cm3
Effective mass:
me = 0.067m0 , mh = 0.45m0
Mobility:
n = 8400 cm2 /Vs, p = 400 cm2 /Vs
Diffusion coefficients:
Dn = 210cm2 /s, Dp = 10. cm2 /s

Physical Constants
Permittivity of vaccum:
0 = 8.85 1014 F/cm
Plancks constant:
h = 6.63 1034 Js
Speed of light:
c= 3.0 1010 cm/s
7

Electronic charge:
q=1.601019 C
Electron rest mass:
m0 = 9.11 1031 kg
Boltzmann constant:
k=1.38 1023 J/ K
Thermal energy at 300 k:
kT=0.0259 eV
Energy conversion:
1 eV=1.601019 J