EE40Lecture 32Prof. Chang-Hasnain.ppt

EE40,Fall 2006 Prof. Chang-Hasnain EE40Lecture 32Prof. Chang-Hasnain 11/21/07 Reading: Supplementary Reader Electron and Hole Densities in Doped Si Junctions of n- and p-type Regions The pn Junction Diode Depletion Region Approximation When the junction is first formed, mobile carriers diffuse across the junction (due to the concentration gradients) Holes diffuse from the p side to the n side, leaving behind negatively charged immobile acceptor ions Electrons diffuse from the n side to the p side, leaving behind positively charged immobile donor ions ?A region depleted of mobile carriers is formed at the junction. The space charge due to immobile ions in the depletion region establishes an electric field that opposes carrier diffusion. Summary: pn-Junction Diode I-V Under forward bias, the potential barrier is reduced, so that carriers flow (by diffusion) across the junction Current increases exponentially with increasing forward bias The carriers become minority carriers once they cross the junction; as they diffuse in the quasi-neutral regions, they recombine with majority carriers (supplied by the metal contacts) “injection” of minority carriers Under reverse bias, the potential barrier is increased, so that negligible carriers flow across the junction If a minority carrier enters the depletion region (by thermal generation or diffusion from the quasi-neutral regions), it will be swept across the junction by the built-in electric field “collection” of minority carriers ? reverse current Charge Density Distribution Two Governing Laws Depletion Approximation 1 Depletion Approximation 2 EE40Lecture 33Prof. Chang-Hasnain 11/26/07 Reading: Supplementary Reader Depletion Approximation 3 Effect of Applied Voltage The quasi-neutral p and n regions have low resistivity, whereas the depletion region has high resistivity. Thus, when an external voltage VD is applied across the diode, almost all of this voltage is dropped across the depletio