Modelling of Transient Response of p-n Junction

Diodes - Evaluation of p-n Junction Based Minority

Carrier lifetime Extraction Models

Jack Y. P. Huang
Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
University of Queensland

conducting to reverse bias. At this moment, the excess

Abstract
Transient response of a pn-junction diode is
one of the most characteristic features in pn-
junction technology. Using the device simulator,
Medici, modelling of the transient response can be
achieved. The reverse recovery method for lifetime
extraction is that in principle of a turn-off transient
response. Therefore, by simulating the turn-off
transient response of a pn junction diode, the
minority carrier lifetime can be extracted.
However, the accuracy of this lifetime extraction
method have been criticised by several worker for
inaccurate result. Therefore the lifetime that is
extracted from the simulation is compare to the
theoretical lifetime calculated. It is found that the
accuracy of the result depends on the length of the
device used for lifetime extraction.
minority carriers are still stored in the quasineutral
regions. Therefore, in progress from forward-bias to
reverse-bias, the excess minority carriers in the
quasineutral regions need to be removed. This removal
of excess carriers results a time delay between the time
at which the reverse-biasing is applied and the time
when the diode is actually reverse-biased. This period of
time is call the storage time, ts, in which the majority of
the stored charge is being removed from the diode
during the storage time portion of the transient. (see
Figure 1) The storage time is defined as the time taken
for the diode voltage to decay from its steady-state
forward-bias value to zero(see Figure 2).

1 Introduction
An important material property which affects the
performance of transistor devices if the lifetime of
minority carriers in the semiconductor. The extraction
of minority carrier lifetime is based on the principle of
the transient response. The phenomena of transient
response was first studied in the mid-1950’s by Figure 1 Current-time transient
Kingston [1] and by Lax and Neustadter [2].
Quantifying and modelling the charge storage
associated with switching transient is particularly
important for the analysis and design of power rectifier
[3] while the lifetime is one of very few parameters
giving information about the low defect densities
consistent with today’s IC’s [4].

2 Theory of reverse recovery method Figure 2 Voltage-time transient

The reverse recovery method for lifetime extraction
is base on the theory of that, the bias applied to the The storage time can be determine by [5,6]:
diode is switched from forward to reverse at t=0. At the
time prior to zero, the diode behaves as under normal  I 
forward-biased of the diode. This will causes a build up t s ≅ τ p ln 1 + F  (1)
or storage of excess minority carriers in the quasineutral  IR 
regions which is adjacent to the depletion region. At
time equals to zero, the diode is switched from forward
where ts is the storage time, τp is the minority carrier
lifetime and IF, IR are forward and reverse current
respectively.
1.2 Simulation result and discussion
To simulate the reverse recovery lifetime extraction
model, the device simulator, Medici, is used. The
storage time obtain from the simulation is than
substitute in to the equation (1) for lifetime extraction.
This lifetime obtained from the simulation result is
than compared to the lifetime that is used in the
simulation of the transient response. It is found that the
two lifetimes are differing by a magnitude of approx.
10000 times. This error is mainly due to the reason that
the device that is used for simulation did not have a long
enough penetration length (so called diffusion length)
for the excess minority carriers to be injected.
Therefore, another approach on the simulation is done
with longer base length device. The result is obtain and
shown in Figure 3. One can clear see that with the
increase in the length of the device that is used for
simulation, the storage time obtain is increased, which
result the minority carrier lifetime obtained from the
simulation to be more close to the expected lifetime.
3 Conclusions
From the analysis on the result obtained from the
simulation. It is clear that the length of the device used
for simulation effects the accuracy of the output
dramatically. This leads into the consideration of the
If:Ir = 1:10
0.9
0.7
0.5
Voltage
0.3
0.1
-3.00E-07 2.00E-07 7.00E-07 1.20E-06 1.70E-06
-0.1
-0.3
-0.5
Time
Fig 3. A plot of voltage vs. time relationship for lifetime simulation.
back-contact recombination effect on the diode. It is
known that, the device simulated in Medici, did take
into consideration of the back-contact recombination
effect. Whereas in the analytical model did not consider
for the back contact recombination effect, therefore,
results the difference between the two lifetime obtained.
By simulating the transient response of a long base
length device, one can know that, the output of the
simulation is closer to the expected output. Therefore, it
can know that the analytical model avoid the problem of
back-contact recombination effect by using an infinite
long base length device.
References
[1] R. H. Kingston, “Switching time in junction diodes
and junction transistors,” Proc. IRE, vol. 42, no.5, pp.
829-834, May 1954.
[2] B. Lax and S. F. Neustadter, “Transient response of
a p-n junciton,” J. Appl. Phys., vol. 25, no. 9, pp. 1148-
1154, September 1954
[3] H. Benda and E. Spenke, “Reverse recovery process
in silicon power rectifiers,” Proc. IEEE, vol. 55, no. 8,
pp. 1331-1354, Aug. 1967.
[4] D. K. Schroder, “Carrier Lifetimes in Silicon,” IEEE
Transc. On electron devices, vol 44, no. 1, January
1997.
[5] D. A. Hodges and H. G. Jackson, Analysis and
Design of Digital Integrated Circuits, New York:
McGraw-Hill Book conpany, 1988
[6] B. G. Streetman, Solid State Electronic Devices,
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice hall, 1990
L=10um
L=15um
L=20um
L=100um
L=50um
L=30um
L=60um
L=75um
L=70um
2.20E-06 2.70E-06 3.20E-06 3.70E-06 4.20E-06