6.720J/3.

43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-1

Lecture 15 - p-n Junction (cont.)

March 9, 2007
Contents:
1. Ideal p-n junction out of equilibrium (cont.)

2. pn junction diode: parasitics, dynamics

Reading assignment:
del Alamo, Ch. 6, 6.2 (6.2.4), 6.3

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-2

Key questions

What happens to the majority carriers in a pn junction under

bias?
What are the main practical issues in synthesizing pn junction
diodes?
How does a pn junction switch? What dominates its dynamic
behavior?

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-3

1. Ideal p-n junction out of equilibrium (cont.)

Minority carrier storage
Quasi-neutrality in QNRs demands n p . Consequences:
n, p
compensating

compensating

+Qhp

Qen

holes

n(x)

p(x)
-Qen

+Qhp

NA

ND
+Qhn

injected

Qep
p(x)

electrons

n(x)

ni2
NA

+Qhn

-Qep
-wp

electrons

-xp

xn

injected
holes

ni2
ND
wn

In n-QNR, quasi-neutrality implies:

Qhn |Qen| Qn
Also, if V Qhn |Qen| with:
Qhn |Qen| Qn
Qhn supplied from p-contact, Qen supplied from n-contact.

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-4

Looks like a capacitor diusion capacitance.

Diusion capacitance (per unit area):
Cd =

dQn dQp
+
dV
dV

with:

Qn = q

w
n

Qp = q

x
p

xn

p (x)dx

wp

n(x)dx

If both sides are long:

Qn = qLhp (xn ) = hJh(xn )

Qp = qLen (xp) = eJe (xp)
and
Cd

q
q
qV
[hJh(xn ) + eJe (xp)] =
(hJhs + e Jes) exp
kT
kT
kT

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-5

If both sides are short and S = :

1
Qn = q p (xn )(wn xn) = tnJh(xn )
2

Qp = q n (xp )(wp xp) = tpJe (xp)

2
with tn and tp are the minority carrier transit times through QNRs:

tn

(wn xn)2
=
2Dh

tp

(wp xp )2
=
2De

Then:
Cd

q
q
qV
[tnJh(xn ) + tpJe (xp)] =
(tnJhs + tpJes) exp
kT
kT
kT

Similar result to long diode!

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-6

General expression:
Cd =

q
kT n,p

dominant minority carrier time constant

injected minority carrier current density

Cd grows exponentially in forward bias, negligible in reverse bias:

Cd exp

qV
kT

qV
[check that Cd exp qV
and
not

exp
1]
kT
kT

Total diode capacitance:

Cd
C

Cj

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-7

2. p-n junction diode

pn junctions present in most semiconductor devices (BJTs and

MOSFETs).
pn junction diodes used in rectifying circuits, detectors in commu
nications applications, bias shifters, input protection devices against
electrostatic discharge.
For integrated p-n diodes, no special process steps available.
Typical cross section of p-n diode implemented in BJT process:

p+
n+
n
n+

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-8

Parasitics
Series resistance:
Accounts for ohmic drop in QNRs (neglected so far).
Reduces internal diode voltage I

I = Is[exp

q(V IRs )

1]
kT

ideal
with series resistance
I

log |I|
IRs
1/Rs

linear scale

semilogarithmic scale

Higher VF required to deliver desired IF more power dissipa

tion, potential process control problems
RC time constant degraded.

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-9

Minority carrier boundary conditions:

At top surface: depending on relative depth of emitter, eective
diode area changes
top surface=ohmic contact area (Ac, S = )
+ peripheral SiO2-covered area (Ap , S = 0)

peripheral area Ap
contact area Ac

p+

n
Je
(periphery)

Wp

Je

(area)

if Wp Le , volume recombination only Aeff Ac + Ap

if Wp Le, surface recombination only Aeff Ac
At bottom surface: high-low junction, characterized by Shl .

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-10

Isolation:
Parasitic substrate p-n junction needs to be reverse biased to
avoid turning it on.
Even reverse biased, substrate contributes parasitic capacitance.
Additional danger: bipolar eect between diode and substrate
minority carriers can be extracted by substrate current
diverted away from main body of diode.
VDD
p+
n

n+

VDD

desired
current path

hole recombination in cathode

hole extraction by substrate

VSS
desired result

parasitic
current path

VSS
actual result

Hard to make integrated pn diodes in CMOS process (unless

they hang directly from the power rail that is connected to the
substrate).
Easier in bipolar since n+ buried layer and collector plug can
prevent minority carrier injection.

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-11

Dynamics
Fundamental dierence between p-n and Schottky diodes: minority
carrier storage slows down p-n diode.
Consider simple voltage switching:
V

I
Vf

+
V

Vf

0
t

Vr
-Vr

Vj
Vf-IfRs

0
t
-Vr
I
If(pk)=

If(Vf)

Vf+Vr
Rs

slower decay
t

RsC
0

Ir(pk)=If-

RsC

Vf+Vr
Rs

trr

As in Schottky diode, delays associated with RsCj .

Additionally, delays associated with minority carrier storage.

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-12

Switch-o transient

Evolution of excess minority carrier concentration (long diode):

excess
minority
carrier
concentration

t=0

t=

switch-off

At t = 0, Vf If ; minority carrier stored charge:

Q = t If
with t , dominant minority carrier time constant.
At t = 0+, external V abruptly changes from Vf to Vr ; internal V
cannot change abruptly need to get rid of minority carriers!

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-13

t=0-

t=0+

Rs

Rs

Vf-IfRs+Vr
+

If(Vf)
+

Vf-IfRs

Vf

Vf-IfRs

Vr

I(0 ) = If (Vf )

I(0+) =

1
Vr
(Vf If Rs +Vr )
Rs
Rs

Two phases to discharge:

Phase I - From Vj = Vf If Rs to Vj 0.
Since Q exp

qVf
,
kT

as Q discharges, Vf cannot change much.

Discharge proceeds nearly at constant current Ir (pk) RVrs

Time to discharge (reverse recovery time):
trr

Q
If (Vf )Rs
t
|Ir (pk)|
Vr

Phase II - From Vj 0 to Vj = Vr .
Charge depletion capacitance Rs Cj time constant (as in Schot
tky diode).

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-14

Switch-on transient
t=0-

t=0+
I

Rs

Rs

Vf+Vr
-

Vr

Vr

Vr

Vf

I(0) = Is

I(0+) =

Vf + Vr
Rs

Evolution of excess minority carrier concentration (long diode):

excess

minority

carrier
concentration

t=

t=0

switch-on

First, RsCj -type charge up of junction capacitance.

Then, minority carrier charge injection takes t.

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-15

Example of SPICE simulations:

IS= 6e17, N= 1, EG= 1.12, RS= 8, CJO= 1.2e13, VJ= 0.6,
M= 0.41, XTI= 3.814, and TT= 4e 9
Vf = +0.89 V , Vr = 5 V
0.4

0.2

41 ps

current (A)

0.0

-0.2

-0.4

-0.6

-0.8

1E-10

2E-10

3E-10

4E-10

5E-10

time (s)

parameter SPICE hand calculation

41 ps
46 ps
trr
2.6 ns
4 ns
on
730 mA
736 mA
Irr
If (pk)
?
736 mA

Cite as: Jess del Alamo, course materials for 6.720J Integrated Microelectronic Devices, Spring 2007.
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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-16

Key conclusions

Diusion capacitance arises from minority carrier storage in

QNRs and quasi-neutrality:
Cd =

q
n,p(dominant minority carrier time constant
kT
minority carrier current density)

Cd J exp qV
kT Cd dominates in forward bias, Cj domi
nates in reverse bias.
Dicult to implemented integrated diodes in CMOS process:
parasitic bipolar transistor.
Dynamics of p-n diode dominated by minority carrier storage.
Reverse recovery time is time required to eliminate minority
carrier stored charge in switch-o transient.

Cite as: Jess del Alamo, course materials for 6.720J Integrated Microelectronic Devices, Spring 2007.
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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 15-17

Self study
Diusion capacitance in short diode.
Equivalent circuit models for pn diode

Cite as: Jess del Alamo, course materials for 6.720J Integrated Microelectronic Devices, Spring 2007.
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