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]
02.409807448655E-10
-0.51.9009778333249E-10
-11.6195612574244E-10
-1.51.4347800384759E-10
-21.3015681195048E-10
-2.51.1996811838719E-10
-31.1184981652555E-10
-3.51.0518401210917E-10
-49.9583554377403E-11
-4.59.4791892022484E-11
-59.0631393177608E-11
-5.58.6974646244119E-11
-68.3727565397571E-11
-6.58.0818960628073E-11
-77.8193838649914E-11
-7.57.5808953563084E-11
-87.3629765632773E-11
-8.57.1628310118678E-11
-96.978167089231E-11
-9.56.8070865942116E-11
-106.6480019543772E-11