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 0.004 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]
09.0999680357407E-11
-0.57.1640964423969E-11
-16.0980153463241E-11
-1.55.3994903056599E-11
-24.8965477002816E-11
-2.54.5121971751259E-11
-34.2061333910579E-11
-3.53.9549434596105E-11
-43.7439739972975E-11
-4.53.5635230380735E-11
-53.4068776794458E-11
-5.53.2692255718632E-11
-63.1470147239177E-11
-6.53.0375585699699E-11
-72.9387824680688E-11
-7.52.849055421962E-11
-82.7670751128055E-11
-8.52.6917873664106E-11
-92.6223284947848E-11
-9.52.5579832098568E-11
-102.498153371254E-11