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ECE606: Solid State Devices
ECE606: Solid State Devices
Lecture 18: Continuity Equations
Muhammad Ashraful Alam
alam@purdue.edu

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 1
Outline

1) Continuity Equation

2) Example problems
3)) Conclusion

Ref. Advanced Semiconductor Fundamentals , pp. 205‐210
pp

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 2
Now the Continuity Equations …

∂n 1
= ∇ • J N − rN + g N
∂t q
I
J N = qnμ N E + qDN ∇n
∂p 1
= − ∇ • J P − rP + g P V
∂t q
J P = qp μ P E − qDP ∇p

∇ • D = q ( p − n + N D+ − N A− )

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 3
 Now the Continuity Equations …
gN
Δx
A=1
J ( x)
n
J ( x + dx)

rN
∂ ( A × Δx × n ) A × J n ( x) − A × J n ( x + dx)
= + A × g N Δ x − A × rN Δ x
∂t
∂t −q
∂n J n ( x) − J n ( x + dx) 1
= + g N − rN = ∇ • J n + g N − rN
∂t − q Δx q

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 4
 Continuity Equations for Electron/Holes
gN
J ( x)

n ∂n 1
J ( x + dx)
= ∇ • J n + g N − rN
∂t q
rN

rp
J p ( x)

p ∂p
∂p 1
= − ∇ • J P + g P − rP
J p ( x + dx)
∂t q
gp
Alam  ECE‐606 S09 5
Continuity Equations via Energy Bands

n(x)
( )
gN rN
EC
p(x)
EV
∂n 1
= ∇ • J n + g N − rN
∂t q
∂p 1
= − ∇ • J P + g P − rP
∂t q
Alam  ECE‐606 S09 6
 Continuity Equation: A Good Analogy

Wabash
River

Rate of increase of
Rate of increase of
water level in lake = (in flow ‐ outflow) + rain ‐ evaporation
∂n 1
= ∇ • Jn + gN − rN
∂t q
Alam  ECE‐606 S09 7
Equations in place, learning to solve them…

∂n 1 I
= ∇ • J N − rN + g N
∂t q

J N = qnμ N E + qDN ∇n V
∂p −1
= ∇ • J P − rP + g P
∂t q
J P = qp μ P E − qDP ∇p Two methods of solution:

∇ • E = q ( p − n + N D+ − N A− ) Numerical and Analytical

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 8
 Analytical Solutions

∇ • D = q ( p − n + N D+ − N A− ) Band‐diagram
∂n 1
= ∇ • J N − rN + g N
∂t q

J N = qnμ N E + qDN ∇n
∂p −1 Diffusion approximation,
= ∇ • J P − rP + g P Minority carrier transport,
∂t q
J P = qp μ P E − qDP ∇p Ambipolar transport

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 9
Outline

1)) Continuityy Equation

q
2) Example problems
3) Conclusion

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 10
Consider a Complex System Unpassivated
surface
f
Metal contact
x

1 2 3

‰ Acceptor doped
Acceptor doped
‰ Light turned on in the middle section. 

‰ The right region is full of mid‐gap traps

‰ Interface traps at the end of the right region.

‰ The left region is trap free.

‰ The left/right  regions contacted by metal electrode. 

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 11
Recall: Analytical Solution of Schrodinger Equation

d 2ψ 2N unknowns 
1)  + k 2
ψ =0
dx 2 for N regions
for N regions

2) ψ ( x = −∞) = 0
Reduces 2 unknowns
Reduces 2 unknowns
ψ ( x = +∞ ) = 0

3) ψ x = xB −
=ψ x = xB +
Set 2N‐2  equations for 
Set 2N 2 equations for
dψ dψ 2N‐2 unknowns (for continuous U)
=
dx x = xB − dx x = xB +

4) Det(coefficient matix)=0 ∞
∫ ψ ( x, E ) dx = 1
2
5)
−∞
And find E by graphical 
or numerical solution
i l l ti f
for wave function
f i

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 12
 Recall: Bound‐levels in Finite well

E
U(x)

ψ = A sin kx + B cos kx
1)

ψ = De−α x + Ne+α x
ψ = Me−α x + Ce +α x 2) B
2) Boundary Conditions …
d C diti
ψ ( x = −∞) = 0
ψ ( x = +∞ ) = 0

0 a Alam  ECE‐606 S09 13
 Example: Transient, Uniform Illumination

(uniform)
∂n 1
= ∇ • J N − rN + g N qnμ N E + qD
JN = q q N ∇n
∂t q
1
∂ (n0 + Δn) Δn
=− +G A
Acceptor doped
t d d
∂t τn

((uniform))
∂p −1
= ∇ • J p − rP + g p J p = qp μ p E − qDP ∇p
∂t q

∂ ( p0 + Δp) Δp
=− +G Majority carrier
∂t τp

∇ • D = q ( p − n + N D+ − N A− ) = q ( p0 + Δn − n0 − Δp + N D+ − N A− ) = 0
Alam  ECE‐606 S09 14
Example: Transient, Uniform Illumination

∂ (Δn) Δn
=− +G
∂t τn
1
−t τ n
Δn( x, t ) = A + Be A
Acceptor doped
t d d

t = 0,
0 Δn( x,0)
0) = 0 ⇒ A = − B
t → ∞, Δn( x, ∞) = Gτ n = A

(
Δn( x, t ) = Gτ n 1 − e −t τ n
) time

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 15
Example: One sided Minority Diffusion

Steady state
Steady state
Acceptor doped
Trap‐free
1

∂n 1 dJ n
= − rN + g N
∂t q dx
d 2n
0 = DN 2
dx
d
dn
J N = qnμ N E + qDN
dx

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 16
 Example: One sided Minority Diffusion
Metal contact

d 2n
0 = DN 2 J = q nmυm
dx
x’ a 0
Δn( x, t ) = C + Dx
D '

x = a, Δn( x ' = a ) = 0 ⇒ C = − Da
x = 0 ',, Δn( x ' = 0 ')) = C

⎛ x'⎞
Δn( x, t ) = Δn( x = 0 ')) ⎜1 − ⎟ xx’
⎝ a⎠
Alam  ECE‐606 S09 17
 Example: Minority Diffusion with RG

∂n 1 dJ n
= − rN + g N
∂t q dx
Steady state
dn
J N = qnμ N E + qDN Acceptor doped
dx
Fl
Flux 3

d 2 (n0 + Δn) Δn
0 = DN − Trap filled
Trap‐filled
dx 2
τn
d 2 Δn Δn
0 = DN −
dx 2
τn
Alam  ECE‐606 S09 18
 Diffusion with Recombination …
Metal contact
d Δn Δn
2
DN − =0
dx 2
τn
b

Δn( x, t ) = Ee x Ln + Fe − x Ln 3

0 X
x = b, Δn( x = b) = 0 ⇒ F = − Ee 2 b Ln

Δn
x = 0, Δn( x = 0) = E + F = Δn( x = 0)

Δn(0) 2 b Ln − x Ln
Δn ( x , t ) = ( e x Ln
− e e ) x
(1 − e 2 b Ln
)
Alam  ECE‐606 S09 19
 Combining them all ….
Δn

Δn2 ( x) = Gτ n = x’ 0 0’ b
Δn2 (0) = Δn2 (0 ')
1 2 3
Match boundary condition
Match boundary condition
⎛ x'⎞ ⎛ x' ⎞
Δn1 ( x ') = Δn( x = 0) ⎜1 − ⎟ = Gτ n ⎜ 1 − ⎟
⎝ a⎠ ⎝ a⎠
Δn(0 ') 2 b Ln − x Ln Gτ ( e x Ln
− e 2 b Ln − x Ln
e )
Δn( x) = (e − e e
x Ln
) = n
(1 − e 2 b Ln
) (1 − e 2b Ln )

dn
Calculating current
Calculating current J N = qnμ N E + qDN
dx
Alam  ECE‐606 S09 20
Why is the E‐field for minority carriers negligible ? 

∇ • D0 = q ( p0 − n0 + N − N )=0
dn
+
D
−
A J N = qnμ N E + qDN
dx
∇ • D = q ( p − n + N D+ − N A− )

= q ( p0 + Δn − n0 + N D+ − N A− ) ≠ 0

∇ • D = q ( p0 + Δn − n0 − Δp + N D+ − N A− ) ≈ 0

n,p
p0=NA
n=n0+Δn(x)
n0=ni2//NA
x

EE‐field
field μ‐volts/μm

x
Alam  ECE‐606 S09 21
Conclusion

1) Continuity Equations form the basis of analysis of all 
the devices we will study in this course. 

2) Full numerical solution of the equations are possible 
and many commercial software are available to do so.

3) Analytical solutions however provide a great deal of 
insight into the key physical mechanism involved in 
the operation of a device. 

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 22