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]
01.5727072520515E-10
-0.51.2505118609629E-10
-11.0692576760254E-10
-1.59.4923169875428E-11
-28.622601486712E-11
-2.57.9551219957908E-11
-37.4219707468603E-11
-3.56.9833993425833E-11
-46.6143898579792E-11
-4.56.2983057619058E-11
-56.0235961074481E-11
-5.55.7819568217339E-11
-65.5672442618472E-11
-6.55.3748024232332E-11
-75.2010296922266E-11
-7.55.0430904611895E-11
-84.8987176359456E-11
-8.54.7660740108458E-11
-94.6436528380766E-11
-9.54.5302051338504E-11
-104.4246856200712E-11