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 0.008 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]
06.9054112596702E-11
-0.55.4074028485873E-11
-14.5917789264078E-11
-1.54.0603135671162E-11
-23.6789173111918E-11
-2.53.3880934193051E-11
-33.1568699363429E-11
-3.52.9673260173864E-11
-42.8082779725731E-11
-4.52.6723375820431E-11
-52.5544018884757E-11
-5.52.4508179482808E-11
-62.3588927515621E-11
-6.52.2765914840553E-11
-72.2023441622085E-11
-7.52.1349174539265E-11
-82.0733272111874E-11
-8.52.0167772652601E-11
-91.9646156467381E-11
-9.51.9163026556155E-11
-101.8713871682157E-11