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 0.002 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]
01.8188124844747E-10
-0.51.4634634943105E-10
-11.2583482486888E-10
-1.51.1207274709581E-10
-21.0202051317676E-10
-2.59.4263925279579E-11
-38.8044124249747E-11
-3.58.2912602259887E-11
-47.8585022729006E-11
-4.57.4871247570307E-11
-57.1638671888963E-11
-5.56.8791617011727E-11
-66.6259081390703E-11
-6.56.3987117641813E-11
-76.1933903243312E-11
-7.56.0066447748975E-11
-85.8358330884703E-11
-8.55.6788110605277E-11
-95.5338178554311E-11
-9.55.399392153693E-11
-105.2743096785785E-11