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]
01.0024802764477E-11
-0.57.7766284426903E-12
-16.5766108913619E-12
-1.55.8020669858057E-12
-25.2493431006646E-12
-2.54.8294427163653E-12
-34.4964782884618E-12
-3.54.2240736358221E-12
-43.9958483347037E-12
-4.53.8010214514903E-12
-53.632168768768E-12
-5.53.4839884741492E-12
-63.3525797973128E-12
-6.53.2350003202805E-12
-73.1289830606475E-12
-7.53.0327493656967E-12
-82.9448814904225E-12
-8.52.8642335904719E-12
-92.7898681528796E-12
-9.52.7210096963558E-12
-102.6570104570781E-12