TP1: PN Diode Circuit

Date

Oct 29, 2018 17:36:43 PM

Realized by:
JENHANI FARAH
ING 2

2018-2019
Objectives:

The objectives of this "Model of a PN diode" are respectively:

 Understand and master the COMSOL environment through the creation of

a PN junction diode model.
 Study the current-voltage characteristics of a PN diode and perform a
simple upswing as well as dual upswing.
 Make interpretations and comparisons for the results found to understand
how the diode works.
 Contents
Global Definitions
Parameters 1
Model 1 (mod1)
Definitions
Geometry 1
Materials
Semiconductor (semi)
Electrical Circuit (cir1)
Electrical Circuit 2 (cir2)
Electrical Circuit 3 (cir3)
Electrical Circuit 3 (cir4)
Mesh 1
Study 1
Time Dependent
Study 2
Time Dependent
Study 3
Time Dependent
Study 4
Time Dependent
Results
Data Sets
Plot Groups
 1- Global Definitions
1.1 Parameters 1
The following table contains frequency, voltage, current and residual doping parameters as
well as diode length and thickness, anode width, P-region depth, and simulation lengths.

Name Expression Description

l_diode 10[um] Diode length
d_diode 7[um] Diode thickness
w_diode 10[um] Diode width
d_p 1[um] Depth of the p-region
w_anode 4[um] Anode width
Nd_max 2e17[1/cm^3] Max donor doping
Na_max 1e17[1/cm^3] Max acceptor doping
Nd_back 1e15[1/cm^3] Background donor doping
eta 1.35 Ideality factor
I0 0.01[pA] Saturation current
Vac 5[V] Voltage amplitude
f 10[kHz] Frequency
omega 2*pi*f Angular frequency
tmax 2/f Simulation length

Tab 1: parameters

2- MODEL (mod1) :
2.1 Definitions:

Coordinate Systems
Coordinate system type Boundary system
Identify sys1
Tab 2: Boundary System 1

2.2 Geometry 1 :

In “geometry 1”, we have defined tow rectangles r1 of width equal to W_diode / 2 and of size
d_diode and r2 of width r2 equal to W_diode / 2+ d_p and of d_p. then we specified filet 1.
 Fig1: Geometry 1

Length unit µm
Angular unit deg

Tab3: Units

2.3 Materials

Silicon

Fig2: Silicon

Geometric entity level Domain

Selection Domains 1–2

Tab4: Selection
Semiconductor (semi)

The upper part corresponds to the P type semiconductor and the lower part corresponds to the N type
semi conductor

Anode(P)

Cathode(N)

Fig 3: Semiconductor

In semiconductor physics, a P-N junction denotes a zone of the crystal where the doping varies
abruptly, from P-doping to N-doping. When the P-doped region is brought into contact with the n
region, the electrons and the holes diffuse spontaneously on either side of the junction, thus creating a
depletion zone where the concentration of free carriers is practically zero. While a doped
semiconductor is a good conductor, the junction hardly lets through the current. The length of the
depletion zone varies with the voltage applied on both sides of the junction. The shorter this area, the
lower the resistance of the junction. The characteristic I (V) of the junction is therefore strongly non-
linear: it is that of a diode.

The physics of P-N junctions has great practical utility in the creation of semiconductor devices. The
current rectifying diode as well as most other types of diodes thus contain a P-N junction. The
photovoltaic cells also consist of a large area p-n junction in which the electron-hole pairs created by
the light are separated by the electric field of the junction.

Finally, a type of transistor, the bipolar transistor, is realized by putting two junctions p-n in the
opposite direction - transistor PNP or NPN.

Semiconductor Material Model 1

Insulation 1
Zero Charge 1
Initial Values 1
Semiconductor Doping Model 1
Semiconductor Doping Model 2
Semiconductor Doping Model 3
Shockley-Reed-Hall Recombination 1
Anode
Cathode
Global Equations 1
Tab 5: Features

Electrical Circuit (cir)

Ground Node 1

Voltage Source 1

External U Vs. I 1

Resistor 1

Tab 6: Features Fig 4: Single phase rectification circuit with PN junction

Electrical Circuit 2 (cir2)

A single-phase rectifier is a rectifier that suppresses the negative alternations and retains the
positive alternations of a single-phase input. The following figure illustrates a simple
alternation rectifier circuit using a diode for rectification and a resistance of 100 KOhm as a
load.

Ground Node 1
Voltage Source 1
Diode 1
Resistor 1
Tab 7: Features Fig 5 : circuit of a simple alternation rectification

Electrical Circuit 3 (cir3)

A single-phase alternation rectifier is a rectifier that rectifies the negative alternations and
retains the positive alternations of the input current.

Ground Node 1
Voltage Source 1
Diode 1
Diode 2
Diode 3
Diode 4
Resistor 1
Tab 8: Features Fig 6 : Full wave rectification circuit with a Graetz bridge
Electrical Circuit 4 (cir4)

Ground Node 1
Diode 1
Diode 2
Diode 3
Diode 4
Resistor 1
Capacitor 1
Voltage Source 1
Tab 9: Features Fig 7: alternation rectification circuit with filter

Mesh 1

Fig 8: Mesh 1
 Study 1
Time Dependent
Property Value
Include geometric nonlinearity Off

Tab 10: Study settings

Times: range(0,tmax/100,tmax)

Geometry Mesh
Geometry 1 (geom1) mesh1
Tab 11: Mesh selection

Physics Discretization
Semiconductor (semi) Physics
Electrical Circuit (cir) Physics

Tab 12: Physics selection

1 Study 2
Time Dependent

Property Value
Include geometric nonlinearity Off

Tab 13: Study settings

Times: range(0,tmax/100,tmax)

Geometry Mesh
Geometry 1 (geom1) mesh1

Tab 14: Mesh selection

Physics Discretization
Electrical Circuit 2 (cir2) Physics

Tab 15: Physics selection

2 Study 3
Time Dependent

Property Value
Include geometric nonlinearity Off

Tab 16: Study settings

Times: range(0,tmax/100,tmax)

Geometry Mesh
Geometry 1 (geom1) mesh1

Tab 17: Mesh selection

Physics Discretization
Electrical Circuit 3 (cir3) Physics

Tab 18: Physics selection

3 Study 4
Time Dependent

Property Value
Include geometric nonlinearity Off

Tab 19: Study settings

Times: range (0,tmax/100,tmax)

Geometry Mesh
Geometry 1 (geom1) mesh1

Tab 20: Mesh selection

Physics Discretization
Electrical Circuit 4 (cir4) Physics

Tab 21: Physics selection

 Results
Data Sets

Solution 1

Geometric entity level Domain

Selection Geometry geom1

Tab 22: Selection 1

Name Value
Solution Solver 1
Model Save Point Geometry 1

Tab 23: Solution 1

Solution 2

Geometric entity level Domain

Selection Geometry geom1

Tab 24: Selection2

Name Value
Solution Solver 2
Model Save Point Geometry 1

Tab 25: Solution 2

Solution 3

Geometric entity level Domain

Selection Geometry geom1

Tab 26: Selection 3

Name Value
Solution Solver 3
Model Save Point Geometry 1
Tab 27: Solution 3
Solution 4

Geometric entity level Domain

Selection Geometry geom1

Tab 28: Selection 4

Name Value
Solution Solver 4
Model Save Point Geometry 1

Tab 29: Solution 4

Plot Groups

Electron Concentration (semi)

Fig 9: Electron concentration

A PN junction consists of two respectively P and N doped zones. When the two regions are
assembled, the difference in concentration between the carriers of the P and N regions will
cause the circulation of a diffusion current tending to equalize the concentration. in carriers of
a region tothe other. The holes in region P will diffuse to region N leaving behind ionized
atoms, which constitute many fixed negative charges. It is the same for the electrons of the
region N which diffuse towards the region P leaving behind positive charges. It also appears
at the junction a zone containing positive and negative fixed charges. These charges create an
electric field E which opposes the diffusion of the carriers.
Hole Concentration (semi)

Fig 10: Hole concentration (semi)

Electric Potential (semi)

Fig 11: Electric potential (semi)

Voltage probes

Fig 12: Recovery simple alternation

We note that the use of circuit 1 or circuit 2 gives a simple alternation rectification of the
same characteristic, this means that creating a diode or the use of a diode integrated in the
software gives the same result.

Fig 13: Recovery double alternation

In circuit 3 the use of a Graetz bridge gives a dual alternation rectification. During the positive
alternation, the diodes D1 and D2 are conductive and feed the load, diodes D3 and D4 are
blocked. During the negative alternation, the diodes D3 and D4 are conductive and feed the
load, the diodes D1 and D2 are blocked.

Fig 14: Double alternation rectification with filter

For low power devices, the simplest filtering is done using one or more capacitors placed
parallel to the output. The capacitor stores the energy when the current flows through the
diodes and then restores it. • For a given load, the more the capacity of the capacitor is higher,
the more the filtering is efficient. • For a given capacitor, the lower the current charge (R big),
the better the filtering is efficient • As a general rule, when the rectifier feed a resistive power,
the larger the product, the more efficient the filtering is. It can therefore be seen that the larger
the capacity of the capacitor, the more the undulations are limited.
Conclusion

The diode is an electronic component. It is a non-linear and polarized (or non-symmetrical)

dipole. The direction of the diode's connection has an importance on the operation of an
electronic circuit. There are many families of electronic components that their designation
contains the word diode and all of them are made around a P-N junction. Without additional
precision, this word designates a dipole which only lets the electric current pass in one
direction. This dipole is also called a rectification diode because it is used to make the
rectifiers that convert the AC current into a DC current.