Physics of Semiconductor Devices

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Capacitance-Voltage Characteristics

The capacitance of a pn junction depends on the width W of the depletion layer.

If the junction is heavily p-doped then it will be an asymmetric p+n junction where Na >> Nd. In this case the total depletion width is approximately equal to the depletion width on just the n-side of the junction.

To experimentally characterize a pn-junction, often the capacitance is measured as a function of the applied voltage. For an abrupt p+n junction, a plot of 1/Cj² versus V is a straight line. The formula can be determined from the above two equations. The slope and intercept of this line give the doping concentration and built-in potential.

The capacitance-voltage characteristic of a silicon p+n-junction with an area of 0.009 cm² is measured. The results of this measurement are shown in the table on the right.

What is the doping concentration and the built-in potential?

Nd = 1/cm³

Vbi = V

The dielectric constant of silicon is εr = 11.9.

     
voltage [V]  capacitance [F]
02.3693280750468E-10
-0.51.8809168638401E-10
-11.6071018899033E-10
-1.51.4260956940664E-10
-21.2950746137583E-10
-2.51.1945906363432E-10
-31.1143692695742E-10
-3.51.0484041054303E-10
-49.9291818920631E-11
-4.59.4540171265679E-11
-59.0411308482214E-11
-5.58.6780084752548E-11
-68.3553948904707E-11
-6.58.0662783460367E-11
-77.8052364930922E-11
-7.57.5680012740014E-11
-87.3511610676791E-11
-8.57.1519516896747E-11
-96.9681065292735E-11
-9.56.7977470140219E-11
-106.6393011737888E-11