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 0.003 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]
01.9441974775648E-11
-0.51.5264418320342E-11
-11.2977134333767E-11
-1.51.1482683272658E-11
-21.040848721466E-11
-2.59.5885075834258E-12
-38.9360721474814E-12
-3.58.40093511895E-12
-47.9516958755316E-12
-4.57.5675878904264E-12
-57.2342556065405E-12
-5.56.9414154134048E-12
-66.6814816490796E-12
-6.56.4487198376984E-12
-76.2387036202654E-12
-7.56.047954516372E-12
-85.8736959597658E-12
-8.55.7136810984439E-12
-95.5660695643016E-12
-9.55.4293375621512E-12
-105.3022111290915E-12