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 0.006 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]
01.6852038463397E-10
-0.51.3388160333683E-10
-11.1443107425445E-10
-1.51.0156289701527E-10
-29.2243754043772E-11
-2.58.509429104206E-11
-37.9385179071092E-11
-3.57.4689807639578E-11
-47.0739798978148E-11
-4.56.7356754832835E-11
-56.4416849163937E-11
-5.56.1831084711013E-11
-65.9533631933147E-11
-6.55.747461023358E-11
-75.561544072213E-11
-7.55.3925753603306E-11
-85.2381270730528E-11
-8.55.0962319591303E-11
-94.9652767614403E-11
-9.54.8439243153267E-11
-104.7310556249026E-11