SOLUTIONS CHAPTER 5

5.5. A step pn junction diode is made in silicon with the n-side

having =21016 cm-3 and on the p-side the net doping is
=51015 cm-3.
a) Draw, to scale, the energy band diagram of the junction
at equilibrium.
We begin by finding the locations of the Fermi levels on each side of the
junction. On the n side,

This assumes complete ionization and nondegeneracy. On the p side, we

have

From these we can construct the entire energy band diagram. The built-in
voltage is then =0.68eV

0.70eV
0.19eV
0.25eV

0.31e V
1.12eV 0.37eV

b) Find the built-in voltage, and compare to the value

measured off your drawing in part (a).

Anderson& Anderson 1 May 10, 2025

Solutions Chapter 5
 which agrees reasonably well with the result above. The difference results
from round-off errors.

c) Find the junction width.

We use

d) Find the width of the n-side of the depletion region and

the p-side of the depletion region, and the voltage dropped
across each side of the transition region.

For the voltages, we have

e) Plot the electric field. What is its maximum value?

Anderson& Anderson 2 May 10, 2025

Solutions Chapter 5
 We know that for , and that

for . This results in a field distribution as

shown below:

3
30x10
 =29000V/cm
max
25

20

15

10

0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
Dist ance from xn ( m)

Wn=0.098m W =0.38m
p
The maximum field occurs at x0, which is 0.098 m from xn. The value of
the field is 2.9104 V/cm.

f) Plot the voltage distribution.

The voltage is found by integrating the field, resulting in

for

. We arbitrarily set xn to x=0. As we integrate in x, we start at

V(xn)=0. Thus

When x=0.098m, we switch to

Anderson& Anderson 3 May 10, 2025

Solutions Chapter 5
 . The plot

becomes
Voltage (volts)
0.2

0.0
-0.14 -0.2

-0.4

-0.6
-0.71
-0.8

-1.0
-0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
xn xo x
p
Distance (m)

g) Plot the potential energy for electrons (EC).

The potential energy EP=-qV, so we invert the plot from part (f). The units
on the vertical axis become eV instead of V:
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
-0.2
-0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
xn xo x
p
Distance (m)

Note that this is identical to the shape of the conduction band edge since
for electrons, EC=EP.
h) Draw the energy band diagram for Va=0.5 V.
The new junction voltage is

Anderson& Anderson 4 May 10, 2025

Solutions Chapter 5
 qVj =0.71-0.5=0.21eV W=26m

i) Draw the energy band diagram for Va=-5V.

The new junction voltage is
The new junction width is

W=136m

qVj =5.71eV

Anderson& Anderson 5 May 10, 2025

Solutions Chapter 5
 In the diagrams below, the vertical axis is to scale but the junction widths
are not.

V =V =0.71V
j bi

Equilibrium

V j =Vbi -V
a =0.71-0.5V

Forward bias of 0.5 volts

Vj =Vbi -V =0.71-(-5)
a

Reverse Bias

5.9. A silicon diode has =1017 on the n side and -=1016 on

the p side. It is forward biased at Va=0.5 V.
a) What is the diffusion current density due to minority
carriers at the plane x=xp?

Anderson& Anderson 6 May 10, 2025

Solutions Chapter 5
 We use . We therefore need to find Dn, Ln, and

np0, At xp, electrons are minority carriers. Thus from Figures 3.11 and 3.23,
Dn≈30cm2/s and Ln≈400 m.
From this we can find

We find npo using .

Thus

b) What is the minority carrier diffusion density at the plane

x=xn?

We find p from Figure 3.22 for a doping of 1017, and find p=220 cm2/Vs.
For holes in n-type silicon doped at 1017 cm-3, Dp≈12 cm2/s and Lp≈70
m=0.007cm, from Figures 3.11 and 3.23 respectively. The minority
carrier density is

and

c) What is the total current density in the junction

neglecting recombination and generation?

Anderson& Anderson 7 May 10, 2025

Solutions Chapter 5
 d) What is the maximum recombination current density in
the forward-biased junction? Compare this result to the
injection (diffusion current).

The recombination rate is:

where 0 is taken as the average lifetime in the more lightly doped side
since the depletion region is predominantly on that side.
An equation for the associated current is not explicitly given in the text, but
we approximate it by adapting Equation 5.78 for the generation current.
We will have
,
where the plus sign reflects that this current flows from p to n. For
simplicity we have assumed that recombination has its maximum rate in
the entire depletion region. We will need to calculate the junction width
and to do that we first need Vbi:

The resulting current is

To compare this to the diffusion current, we take the ratio and find

Anderson& Anderson 8 May 10, 2025

Solutions Chapter 5
 Thus under forward bias we expect the diffusion current to dominate over
the recombination current.
e) Which is larger, the injection current density into the
lightly doped side or the injection current into the heavily
doped side?
From parts (a) and (b), we see that the injection from the heavily doped
side into the lightly doped side is greater.

f) Repeat part (a) for a reverse bias of Va=-5 V.

g) Repeat part (b) for Va=-5V.

h) Estimate the generation current density under reverse

bias.
We find the junction width at this bias:

i) Compare the generation current density to the diffusion

current density in the reverse-biased junction.

Anderson& Anderson 9 May 10, 2025

Solutions Chapter 5
5.19. A junction has =1018 cm-3 and =1016 cm-3. Both sides
are long, and the fraction of reclaimable charge is 0.5.
Compare the magnitudes of the junction capacitance and the
stored charge capacitance at Va=-5 V, 0 V, and +0.5 V. The
junction area is 100 m2. Note that generation -recombination
current does not contribute to stored charge, only diffusion
current contributes.

The junction capacitance is given by

Cj(-5V)=1.210-14F
Cj(0V)=3.010-14F
Cj(+0.5V)=4.5F

The stored charge capacitance is given by

where I is the diffusion current. Since most of the depletion region is on

the more lightly dope side (the p-side), the lifetime associated with this
doping level is, from Figure 3.21,
n≈1.210-4 s.
The diffusion current is

and

Anderson& Anderson 10 May 10, 2025

Solutions Chapter 5
 where Dn and Ln were obtained from Figure 3.11 and 3.23 respectively,
and we have neglected the second term in the parentheses since pn0<<np0.
The stored charge capacitances:

(I=0)

To compare, we have
V=-5 V Csc≈0 Cj(-5V)=1.210-14 F
V=0 Csc=0 Cj(0V)=310-14 F
V=+0.5 Csc=1.910-14 F Cj(+0.5V)=4.510-14 F

As expected, the junction capacitance dominates at negative and low

voltages, but at significant forward bias the stored charged capacitance
becomes more important.

Anderson& Anderson 11 May 10, 2025

Solutions Chapter 5