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]
02.721757709341E-10
-0.52.1502385659424E-10
-11.8331491016518E-10
-1.51.6246191884691E-10
-21.4741454382309E-10
-2.51.3589836785866E-10
-31.2671821445666E-10
-3.51.1917799609087E-10
-41.1284120791338E-10
-4.51.0741840880916E-10
-51.0270909282331E-10
-5.59.8569381745151E-11
-69.4892993602564E-11
-6.59.1599486812093E-11
-78.862670592309E-11
-7.58.5925762290222E-11
-88.3457602065164E-11
-8.58.1190600450788E-11
-97.9098838205197E-11
-9.57.7160842927319E-11
-107.5358653906453E-11