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]
01.5888254232379E-10
-0.51.2622478612746E-10
-11.0788665144505E-10
-1.59.5754417595263E-11
-28.696824534194E-11
-2.58.022766698147E-11
-37.4845064595837E-11
-3.57.041822595662E-11
-46.6694122076295E-11
-4.56.3504557468023E-11
-56.0732787821988E-11
-5.55.829490571637E-11
-65.612884646479E-11
-6.55.4187582189624E-11
-75.2434740364395E-11
-7.55.0841688071323E-11
-84.93855356543E-11
-8.54.8047735690675E-11
-94.6813078246432E-11
-9.54.5668956412292E-11
-104.4604820193858E-11