Physics of Semiconductor Devices

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Capacitance-Voltage Characteristics

The capacitance of a pn junction depends on the width W of the depletion layer.

If the junction is heavily p-doped then it will be an asymmetric p+n junction where Na >> Nd. In this case the total depletion width is approximately equal to the depletion width on just the n-side of the junction.

To experimentally characterize a pn-junction, often the capacitance is measured as a function of the applied voltage. For an abrupt p+n junction, a plot of 1/Cj² versus V is a straight line. The formula can be determined from the above two equations. The slope and intercept of this line give the doping concentration and built-in potential.

The capacitance-voltage characteristic of a silicon p+n-junction with an area of 0.009 cm² is measured. The results of this measurement are shown in the table on the right.

What is the doping concentration and the built-in potential?

Nd = 1/cm³

Vbi = V

The dielectric constant of silicon is εr = 11.9.

     
voltage [V]  capacitance [F]
02.0039306301579E-10
-0.51.5904064983992E-10
-11.3587115023088E-10
-1.51.2055939773642E-10
-21.0947798060047E-10
-2.51.0098032662812E-10
-39.4196808389455E-11
-3.58.8619155411915E-11
-48.3927807246986E-11
-4.57.9910440114199E-11
-57.6419733943315E-11
-5.57.3349837105717E-11
-67.0622472563758E-11
-6.56.8178340350592E-11
-76.5971584610304E-11
-7.56.3966112624553E-11
-86.2133075156313E-11
-8.56.0449098549851E-11
-95.8895017127118E-11
-9.55.7454946732634E-11
-105.6115595973268E-11