Physics of Semiconductor Devices

Return to
problem list

      

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 0.007 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]
01.966071154063E-10
-0.51.5619520389296E-10
-11.3350291996353E-10
-1.51.1849004651781E-10
-21.0761771305107E-10
-2.59.9276672882403E-11
-39.2616042249608E-11
-3.58.7138108912841E-11
-48.2529765474506E-11
-4.57.8582880638307E-11
-57.515299069126E-11
-5.57.2136265496182E-11
-66.9455903922005E-11
-6.56.7053711939176E-11
-76.4884680842485E-11
-7.56.2913379203857E-11
-86.111148251895E-11
-8.55.9456039523187E-11
-95.792822888347E-11
-9.55.6512450345478E-11
-105.5195648957197E-11