p–n Vbi

junction barrier height,

 The potential barrier height V accross a p-n junction is
bi
known as the built in potential and also as the junction
potential.

 The potential energy that this potential barrier correspond

is

qVbi
• Electron energy is positive upwards in the energy level
diagrams, so electron potentials are going to be measured
positive downwards.

• The hole energies and potentials are of course positive in

the opposite directions to the electrons
p–n junction barrier height

p-type n-type

EC
qVbi

Electron potential
Ei
EC
Electrıon energy

Ef qV p Ef
EV qVn
Ei

EV

Depletion region
p–n junction in thermal equilibrium
DR
 Current Mechanisms,
---- +++
Neutral Neutral
---- +++  Diffusion of the carriers
p-region n-region
cause an electric in DR.
---- +++
Field Direction
Electron Drift  Drift current is due to
the presence of electric
Electrıon energy

Electron Diffusion field in DR.

Hole energuy

EC
 Diffusion current is due
Ef to the majority carriers.
Hole Diffussion
 Drift current is due to
EV the minority carriers.

Hole Drift
n–p junction at equilibrium
DR

Neutral +++ ----

Neutral
n-region +++ ----
p-region
+++ ----
Field Direction
Electrıon energy

Electron Drift
EC
Hole energuy

Electron Diffusion

Ef

EV
Hole Diffussion

Hole Drift
Diffusion :

 When electrons and holes are diffusing from high

concentration region to the low concentration region they
both have a potential barrier. However, in drift case of
minority carriers there is no potential barrier.

 Built in potential ;

kT N AND
Vbi  ln 2
q ni

At fixed T , Vbi is determined by the number of N A and N D atoms.

 Depletion Approximation, Electric Field and
Potential for pn junction
 At equilibrium, there is
---- +++
p-type n-type no bias, i.e. no applied
---- +++ voltage.

+++
 The field takes the
Charge density

+++ x same sign as the

----
charge
---- area Vbi
 The sign of the electric
x field is opposite to that
of the potential ;
Electric field

 Em

qVbi dVn
Ev 
dx
Potential

x
xn xp

Depletion
Depletion Approximation, Electric Field and
Potential for np junction

+++ ----
n-type p-type
+++ ----

Charge density +++

+++ x
----

 Em ----
Field direction is positive x direction

area Vbi Field direction

Electric field

x
Potential

Depletion
Abrupt junction

• The amount of uncovered

---- +++ negative charge on the left hand
p-type n-type
side of the junction must be
---- +++
equal to the amount of positive
charge on the right hand side of
Charge density

the metalurgical junction.

+++
Overall space-charge neutrality
+++ x condition;
----

---- N A x p  N D xn
xp xn
Depletion

Region The higher doped side of the

junction has the narrower depletion
w width

when N A  N D  xn  x p
Abrupt junction

 xn and xp is the width of the depletion layer on the n-side

and p-side of the junction, respectively.

When N D  N A (unequal impurity concentrations)

and x p  xn , W  x p
 Unequal impurity concentration results an unequal
depletion layer widths by means of the charge neutrality
condition;

N A . x p  N D . xn

W = total depletion

region
Abrupt junction

When N A  N D  xn  x p  W  xn
• Depletion layer widths for n-side and p-side

1 2 SiVbi N A N D
xn 
ND q( N A  N D )

1 2 SiVbi N A N D
xp 
NA q( N A  N D )
Abrupt junction

For equal doping densities W  xn  x p

Total depletion layer width , W

1 1 2 SiVbi N A N D
W (  )
NA ND q( N A  N D )

2 SiVbi ( N A  N D )
W 
qN A N D
Abrupt junction

 Si  o r  o permittivity of vacuum 8.85 x10-12 F/m

 r relative permittivity of Silicon 11.9

xn , x p and W depends on N A , N D and Vbi

kT N A N D
Vbi  ln 2
q ni
One-Sided abrupt p-n junction

1 2 SiVbi N A N D 1 2 SiVbi N A N D
W  xn  
ND q N A  N D  N D qN A
neglegted
since NA>>ND

2 SiVbi
W obtain a similar equation for W  x p
qN D
in the case of N D  N A

One-sided abrupt junction

Appliying bias to p-n junction

+ -

 How current flows through the p-n

p n
junction when a bias (voltage) is
forward bias applied.

 The current flows all the time whenever

a voltage source is connected to the
- + diode. But the current flows rapidly in
forward bias, however a very small
p n constant current flows in reverse bias
case.
reverse bias
Appliying bias to p-n junction
I(current)
Reverse Bias Forward Bias

Vb I0
V(voltage)

Vb ; Breakdown voltage

I0 ; Reverse saturation current

 There is no turn-on voltage because current flows in any

case. However , the turn-on voltage can be defined as the
forward bias required to produce a given amount of forward
current.
 If 1 m A is required for the circuit to work, 0.7 volt can be
called as turn-on voltage.
Appliying bias to p-n junction
Zero Bias Forward Bias Reverse Bias
+ - - +

p -- ++ n p - + n p -- ++
-- ++ - + -- ++
n

Ec Ec Ec
qVbi  VF 
qVbi
Ev Ev Ev q Vbi  Vr 
Potential Energy

Vbi  VR
Vbi
Vbi  VF
Appliying bias to p-n junction

VF  forward voltage
VR  reverse voltage

 When a voltage is applied to a diode , bands move

and the behaviour of the bands with applied
forward and reverse fields are shown in previous
diagram.