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]
02.6173808285383E-10
-0.52.0929739278221E-10
-11.7943351290288E-10
-1.51.5953501393798E-10
-21.4506213673399E-10
-2.51.3392649650931E-10
-31.2501563852484E-10
-3.51.1767545119857E-10
-41.1149284286127E-10
-4.51.0619239717244E-10
-51.0158249133057E-10
-5.59.7525132024926E-11
-69.391808258639E-11
-6.59.0683769528442E-11
-78.7762125011645E-11
-7.58.5105814655183E-11
-88.2676964765063E-11
-8.58.0444862231181E-11
-97.8384302935516E-11
-9.57.6474383096917E-11
-107.4697599679423E-11