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 0.001 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]
01.008058410867E-11
-0.57.9638465405274E-12
-16.789441117229E-12
-1.56.0171081054412E-12
-25.4597979193738E-12
-2.55.0332728836542E-12
-34.6932672020985E-12
-3.54.4139998552174E-12
-44.1793039967919E-12
-4.53.9784595855243E-12
-53.8040404749375E-12
-5.53.650717842413E-12
-63.5145553186135E-12
-6.53.3925735856331E-12
-73.2824705897441E-12
-7.53.1824356403786E-12
-83.0910222987098E-12
-8.53.0070592759551E-12
-92.9295866001925E-12
-9.52.8578089973081E-12
-102.7910612557946E-12