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Semiconductor Tutorial 2

-Electron Energy Band - Fermi Level -Electrostatics of device charges

Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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Semiconductor Tutorial 2

The Simplified Electron Energy Band Diagram

Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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Semiconductor Tutorial 2

Energy Band Diagram with E-field

Electron Energy Electron

E-field +
2 1

Energy

+ EC EV x
2

E-field
1

EC EV

Electric potential (2) < (1)

Electric potential (2) > (1)

Electron concentration n

n( 2) e q[ ( 2 ) ( 1 )] / kT = q( 1) / kT = e n(1) e
Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

q ( 2 ) / kT

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Semiconductor Tutorial 2

The Fermi-Dirac Distribution (Fermi Function) Probability of available states at energy E being occupied f(E) = 1/ [ 1+ exp (E- Ef) / kT]

where Ef is the Fermi energy and k = Boltzmann constant=8.617 10-5 eV/K

T=0K

f(E)

0.5

E -Ef
Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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Semiconductor Tutorial 2

Properties of the Fermi-Dirac Distribution

Probability of electron state at energy E will be occupied

(1) f(E) exp [- (E- Ef) / kT] for (E- Ef) > 3kT
This approximation is called Boltzmann approximation

Note: At 300K, kT= 0.026eV

(2) Probability of available states at energy E NOT being occupied 1- f(E) = 1/ [ 1+ exp (Ef -E) / kT]
Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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Semiconductor Tutorial 2

How to find Ef when n(or p) is known

Ec q|F| Ei Ev Ef (n-type) Ef (p-type)

n = ni exp [(Ef - Ei)/kT]

Let qF Ef - Ei
n = ni exp [qF /kT]
Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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Semiconductor Tutorial 2

Dependence of Fermi Level with Doping Concentration

Ei (EC+EV)/2 Middle of energy gap

When Si is undoped, Ef = Ei ; also n =p = ni

Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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Semiconductor Tutorial 2

The Fermi Energy at thermal equilibrium

At thermal equilibrium ( i.e., no external perturbation), The Fermi Energy must be constant for all positions
Electron energy

Material A Material B Material C Material D EF Position x

Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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Semiconductor Tutorial 2

Electron Transfer during contact formation

System 1 Before contact formation System 2
e

System 1
e

System 2

EF1

EF2

EF2

EF1

System 1 After contact formation + Net positive + charge + -

System 2
Net negative charge

System 1 + + +

System 2

EF

EF

E
Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

E
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Applied Bias and Fermi Level

Fermi level of the side which has a relatively higher electric potential will have a relatively lower electron energy ( Potential Energy = -q electric potential.) Only difference of the E 's at both sides are important, not the absolute position of the Fermi levels.
qV a Ef 2 E f1 q| V | a

E f1

Ef

Side 1

Side 2

Side 1

Side 2

V >0 a

V <0 a

Potential difference across depletion region = Vbi - Va

Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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PN junctions Thermal Equilibrium

NA
- and

E-field
Depletion region

(x) is 0

ND+ and n (x) is 0

Quasi-neutral region

-Quasi-neutral region

++ ++ n-Si ND+ only (x) is +

--

p-Si NA- only (x) is -

Complete Depletion Approximation used for charges inside depletion region r(x) ND+(x) NA-(x)
http://jas.eng.buffalo.edu/education/pn/pnformation2/pnformation2.html
Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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Semiconductor Tutorial 2

Electrostatics of Device Charges 1) Summation of all charges = 0 2 xd2 = 1 xd1 2) E-field =0 outside depletion regions
p-type Semiconductor - xd1 - 1 xd2 x=0 (x) n-type Semiconductor 2 x

E=0
Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

E 0

E=0
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3) Relationship between E-field and charge density (x) d [ E(x)] /dx = (x) Gauss Law 4) Relationship between E-field and potential E(x) = - d(x)/dx

Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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Semiconductor Tutorial 2

Example Analysis : n+/ p-Si junction

(x) +Q'

p-Si

Emax =qNaxd/s
E (x) x -qNa

n+ Si
Depletion region

Depletion region is very thin and is approximated as a thin sheet charge

3) Slope = qNa/s
xd

x=0

2) E = 0

1) Q = qNaxd

4) Area under E-field curve = voltage across depletion region = qNaxd2/2s

Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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Superposition Principle
If 1(x) E1(x) and V1(x) 2(x) E2(x) and V2(x) then 1(x) + 2(x) E1(x) + E2(x) and V1(x) + V2(x) 1(x)
Q=+qNAxp

(x)
+qND

-xp
x
-qNA

+xn
x=0

2(x)
+qND

-xp
x

+
Q=-qNAxp x=0

-qNA

+xn

x=0
Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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1(x)
Q=+qNAxp
x

2(x)
+qND
x

-xp
-qNA

+xn
Q=-qNAxp x=0 x=0

E1(x) -xp
x

E2(x) +xn

+
-

Slope = - qNA/s
-

x=0

Slope = + qND/s x=0

16

Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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Semiconductor Tutorial 2

Sketch of E(x)

E(x) = E1(x)+ E2(x)

-xp
x=0

+xn
x

Slope = - qNA/s
-

Slope = + qND/s

Emax = - qNA xp /s = - qND xn /s

Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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Semiconductor Tutorial 2

Depletion Mode :Charge and Electric Field Distributions by Superposition Principle of Electrostatics
(x) Q' Metal Oxide Semiconductor x=xo + x d x x=0 x=xo x=0 Metal (x) Q' Oxide Semiconductor x - Q' x=xo x=0 x=xo Metal (x) Q' Oxide

Semiconductor x=xo + x d x

E(x) Metal Oxide Semiconductor

Metal

E(x) Oxide

Semiconductor

Metal

E(x) Oxide

Semiconductor

x x=xo + x d x=0 x=xo

=
x=x + x o d x=0 x=x o

+
x=0 x=x o

x x=x o + x d

Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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Why xdmax ~ constant beyond onset of strong inversion ?

VG = VFB + VOX + VSi

Higher than VT Picks up all the changes in VG Approximation assumes VSi does not change much Justification: If surface electron density changes by n

Ei Ef

VOX

ln ( n n e
kT

n COX

but the change of VSi changes only by kT/q [ ln (n)] small!

Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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N (surface) = n (bulk) exp [ qVSi/kT]

p-Si Na=1016/cm3
n-bulk = 2.1 104/cm3
n-surface

VSi 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9

Ei 0.35eV Ef Onset of strong inversion (at VT)

qVSi

n-surface 2.10E+04 9.84E+05 4.61E+07 2.16E+09 1.01E+11 4.73E+12 2.21E+14 1.04E+16 4.85E+17 2.27E+19

Professor N Cheung, U.C. Berkeley

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