Lecture 4

PN Junction and MOS Electrostatics(I)

Semiconductor Electrostatics in Thermal

Equilibrium

Outline

• Non­uniformly doped semiconductor in thermal

equilibrium
• Relationships between potential, φ(x) and
equilibrium carrier concentrations, po(x), no(x)

–Boltzmann relations & “60 mV Rule”

• Quasi­neutral situation

Reading Assignment:
Howe and Sodini; Chapter 3, Sections 3.1­3.2

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 1

 1. Non­uniformly doped semiconductor in
thermal equilibrium
Consider a piece of n­type Si in thermal equilibrium
with non­uniform dopant distribution:

Nd
Nd(x)

What is the resulting electron concentration in

thermal equilibrium?

n­type ⇒ lots of electrons, few holes

⇒ focus on electrons

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 2

 OPTION 1: electron concentration follows doping
concentration EXACTLY ⇒

n o (x) = N d (x)

no, Nd
Nd(x) no(x)=Nd(x)?

Gradient of electron concentration

⇒ net electron diffusion
⇒ not in thermal equilibrium!

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 3

 OPTION 2: electron concentration uniform in space

n o (x) = n ave ≠ f(x)

no, Nd
Nd(x)
no = f(x)?

Think about space charge density:

ρ(x) ≈ q[N d (x) − n o (x)]

If Nd(x) ≠ no(x)
⇒ ρ(x) ≠ 0
⇒ electric field
⇒ net electron drift
⇒ not in thermal equilibrium!

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 4

 OPTION 3: Demand that Jn = 0 in thermal
equilibrium at every x (Jp = 0 too)

Diffusion precisely balances Drift

drift diff
J n (x) = J n (x) + Jn (x) = 0

What is no(x) that satisfies this condition?

partially uncompensated �
donor charge
no, Nd
Nd(x) +
no(x)
-
net electron charge

Let us examine the electrostatics implications of

no(x) ≠ Nd(x)

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 5

 Space charge density

ρ(x) = q[Nd (x) − n o (x)]

partially uncompensated �
donor charge
no, Nd
Nd(x) +
no(x)
-
net electron charge

x
ρ

+
− x

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 6

 Electric Field
Poisson’s equation:
dE ρ (x)
=
dx εs

Integrate from x = 0: x

∫ ρ(x )d
1
E(x) − E(0) = ′ x ′
εs
0
no, Nd
Nd(x) +
no(x)
-

x
ρ

+
− x

E
x

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 7

 Electrostatic Potential
dφ
= −E(x)
dx
Integrate from x=0: x
φ(x) − φ(0) = − E (x )d
∫
′ x ′
0
Need to select reference
(physics is in the potential difference, not in absolute value!);
Select φ(x = 0) = φref
no, Nd
Nd(x) +
no(x)
-

x
ρ

+
− x

E
x

φref

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 8

 2. Relationships between potential, φ(x) and

equilibrium carrier concentrations, po(x), no(x)

(Boltzmann relations)
dno
Jn = 0 = qnoµ n E + qDn
dx
µ n dφ 1 dno
• = •
Dn dx no dx
Using Einstein relation:

q dφ d(ln no )
• =
kT dx dx
Integrate:
q
kT
( )
φ − φref = ln no − ln no,ref = ln

no
no,ref

q φ − φ
( )

Then:


no = no,ref exp ref 
 kT 
 

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 9

 Any reference is good

In 6.012, φref = 0 at no,ref = ni

Then:
qφ kT
no = ni e
If we do same with holes (starting with Jp = 0 in thermal
equilibrium, or simply using nopo = ni2 );
−qφ kT
po = n i e
We can re­write as:

kT no
φ= • ln
q ni
and

kT po
φ=− • ln
q ni

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 10

 “60 mV” Rule

At room temperature for Si:

no n
o

φ = (25m ) • ln = (25mV) • ln (10) • log

ni n i

Or
n
o
φ ≈ (60m )• log
n i

EXAMPLE 1:

−3
⇒ φ = (60m ) × 8 = 480 mV
18
n o = 10 cm

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 11

 “60 mV” Rule: contd.

With holes:

po po

φ = − (25m )• ln = − (25m )• ln (10) • log

ni ni

Or
p
o
φ ≈ − (60 m ) • log
n i

EXAMPLE 2:

18 −3 2 −3
n o = 10 cm ⇒ p o = 10 cm
⇒ φ = −(60m ) × −8 = 480mV

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 12

 Relationship between φ, no and po:

po, equilibrium hole concentration (cm−3)

p-type intrinsic n-type

1019 1018 1016 1014 1012 1010 108 106 104 102 101

φp+� φ (mV) φn+�

� �
−550 −480 −360 −240 −120 0 120 240 360 480 550

−550 −480 −360 −240 −120 0 120 240 360 480 550
φp+� φ (mV) φn+�
� �

101 102 104 106 108 1010 1012 1014 1016 1018 1019

p-type intrinsic n-type

no, equilibrium electron concentration (cm−3)

Note: φ cannot exceed 550 mV or be smaller than -550 mV.

(Beyond this point different physics come into play.)

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 13

 Example 3: Compute potential difference in thermal
equilibrium between region where no = 1017 cm­3 and no
= 1015 cm­3.

φ(no = 1017 cm− 3 ) = 60 × 7 = 420 mV

φ(no = 1015 cm− 3 ) = 60 × 5 = 300 mV

φ(no = 1017 cm− 3 ) − φ(n o = 1015 cm −3 ) = 120 mV

Example 4: Compute potential difference in thermal

equilibrium between region where po = 1020 cm­3 and po
= 1016 cm­3.

φ( po = 10 20 cm− 3 ) = φmax = − 550mV

φ( po = 10 16 cm −3 ) = − 60 × 6 = − 360mV

φ( po = 10 20 cm− 3 ) − φ(po = 1016 cm− 3 ) = −190 mV

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 14

 3. Quasi­neutral situation
If Nd(x) changes slowly with x ⇒ no(x) also changes
slowly with x. WHY?

Small dno/dx implies a small diffusion current. We do

not need a large drift current to balance it.

Small drift current implies a small electric field and

therefore a small space charge

Then: no (x) ≈ N d (x)

no(x) tracks Nd(x) well ⇒ minimum space charge

⇒ semiconductor is quasi­neutral

no, Nd
Nd(x)
no(x) = Nd(x)

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 15

 What did we learn today?

Summary of Key Concepts

• It is possible to have an electric field inside a

semiconductor in thermal equilibrium
– ⇒ Non­uniform doping distribution.
• In thermal equilibrium, there is a fundamental
relationship between the φ(x) and the equilibrium
carrier concentrations no(x) & po(x)
– Boltzmann relations (or “60 mV Rule”).

• In a slowly varying doping profile, majority carrier

concentration tracks well the doping concentration.

6.012 Spring 2009 Lecture 4 16

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6.012 Microelectronic Devices and Circuits

Spring 2009

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