EE

 212-­Semiconductor  Devices  and  Modeling  

Spring  2010-­2011  

                                                                        Homework IV (not to be collected)

Photodiodes, Solar Cells, LEDs

1.

a) Find the current, I, flowing through the following Si sample at T=500 K, if Vb = 0.5 V. The
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sample is uniformly doped with donors at a density of ND=5x10 cm-3, and acceptor doping
density is zero. The electric-field in the sample is constant between x=0 (where V=Vb) and x=L
(where V=0). Ignore the contribution of the holes to conductivity.

The temperature dependence of the low-field electron mobility in the above Si sample can be
approximated as

(cm2/V-sec) where T is the temperature in Kelvin.

b) Find the current, I, flowing through the above sample at T=300 K, if Vb= 30 V. Ignore the
contribution of holes to conductivity.

c) The above Si sample is used in the following configuration to

detect light at T=300 K. Assume that the recombination
lifetimes, τn=τp= 1 µsec and 300 K hole mobility is 400 cm2/V-
sec in the sample. Find the output voltage (Vout) under uniform
and continuous illumination of the sample, if 5x1019 electron-
hole pairs/cm3 are created optically every second (gop=5x1019
EHP/(cm3-sec)).You must derive the equation for steady-state
excess carrier concentrations starting from the balance between
generation and recombination (assume low level excitation).
Do not ignore the contribution of excess holes to conductivity.

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 EE  212-­Semiconductor  Devices  and  Modeling  
Spring  2010-­2011  

2. Which of the following statements is/are correct?

i) a nonzero current may flow through a short circuited p-n junction under illumination
ii) the open circuit voltage of a p-n junction under illumination depends on the energy bandgap of the
semiconductor
iii) a diode is typically used as a photo detector in the forward bias region
a) only i and iii b) only i and ii c) only i d) all of them e) only ii and iii

3. Consider the following biased p-n junction at steady-state. Under a bias voltage of V, as shown
below, the hole concentration at the edge of the depletion region in the n side is pneqV/kT where pn is
the equilibrium hole concentration at the n-side. The excess carrier concentrations at the ohmic
contacts are zero. The junction cross-sectional area is A.

a) Ignore recombination and derive the expression for the hole diffusion current in the n-side and the
electron diffusion current in the p-side under dark conditions (no optical excitation) in terms of
equilibrium minority carrier concentrations and the other necessary parameters. Assume that Wn <<
Lp and Wp<<Ln where Lp and Ln are the diffusion lengths of holes and electrons, respectively. Do
not make any assumption on the magnitude of V. Show complete work and define the additional
parameters used in your derivation.

b) Ignore recombination in the depletion region, use your result in part (a) and find the total current
flowing through the junction under dark conditions (no optical excitation).

c) Now assume that Wn >> Lp and Wp>>Ln , and the diode is illuminated with an optical excitation
rate of gop. Ignore optical excitation and recombination in the depletion region and derive the
expressions for the total current (I) and the photocurrent (IL) flowing through the junction under
illumination. Your result must reflect the above assumptions. Start from the continuity equation
or minority carrier diffusion equations, clearly show complete work, explain what you are doing
qualitatively (with words), and define the additional parameters used in your derivation.

4. A light source is incident on a long Si pn junction diode and generates an optical current density
of Jop = 25 mA/cm2. Calculate the induced open circuit voltage.

ND=1018/cm3 NA=3x1016/cm3 τn=τp=10-7 s Dn=18 cm2/s Dp=6 cm2/s

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 EE  212-­Semiconductor  Devices  and  Modeling  
Spring  2010-­2011  

Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)  

5. The following figure displays the carrier and current flows in a BJT. Name the numbered (1-5)
flows and exchanges. Draw arrows pointing the current directions on the figure. What is the
operation (bias) region for this transistor?

6. Which one of the following does not belong to the three mechanisms for the base current of a
forward biased pnp transitor?

a) Electrons lost to recombination are supplied by the base contact

b) Electrons injected into the collector junction are supplied by the generation in the base
c) Electrons injected into the forward biased emitter junction are supplied by the base contact
d) Thermally generated electrons in the collector are swept into the base by the reverse biased
collector junction

7. Fill in the blanks for the following sentences and drawings:

The two operational functions of transistors that form the basis for many electronics circuit
applications are …….…… and …………….

For bipolar-transistors, a small control ……….is used to achieve large changes in the device ………,
achieving ………… amplification.

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 EE  212-­Semiconductor  Devices  and  Modeling  
Spring  2010-­2011  

• In a good transistor the ….…… current will be very small since emitter current is essentially
majority carrier current, and the ............... current is almost equal to the emitter current.

The proportionality factor between the majority carrier emitter current and collector current is called
…………………..

The ratio of the majority carrier emitter current and the total emitter current is called
…………………….

Ratio of collector to emitter current is …………………..

Ratio of collector to base current is ……………………..

Ratio of majority carrier lifetime to the base transit time is ………………..

In an npn BJT Emitter injects electrons into base region, almost all of them travel across narrow base
and are removed by …………….

Write the corresponding transistor operation regions on the graph

Base Transit Time places an upper limit on transistor operating …………….

The goal of biasing is to establish the ………………. of the transistor.

The diffusion capacitance is directly proportional to the ………….. current and …….... time.

Base-……….. junction diode breakdown voltage is greater than base-……… junction diode
breakdown voltage.

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 EE  212-­Semiconductor  Devices  and  Modeling  
Spring  2010-­2011  

8. For the following questions, answer in one or two sentences.

(i) Why is the emitter doped more heavily than the base?
(ii) “The base width is small” is often stated in device analysis. What is it being compared
with?
(iii)For a PNP device, indicate the voltage polarity (+ or -) for the following:

Region VEB VCB

Active

Saturation

9. An n-p-n BJT is biased in the forward active region (BE junction is forward biased and BC
junction is reverse biased) with IE=1 mA. The base transport factor of this BJT is equal to 0.98 and
the emitter injection efficiency is 0.95 . Ignore the contribution of thermally generated minority
carriers around the B-C depletion region to the terminal currents and find the collector and base
currents of this BJT.

10. Fill in the blanks of the following table to show whether the noted change in a BJT increases
(↑), decreases (↓) or has no significant effect (-) on the given BJT parameter.

Change β

Increase Base Width

Increase electron
recombination lifetime in
the base

Increase base doping

Increase Emitter Doping

Decrease Base doping

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 EE  212-­Semiconductor  Devices  and  Modeling  
Spring  2010-­2011  

11. Consider a p-n-p BJT biased with the following arrangement. Complete the sketch of the energy
band diagram of this BJT in the position range 0 - 4 µm.

Base Thickness= 2 µm, NA Emitter= 10.NDbase , NDBase=10.NAcollector

E–B Junction Contact Potential= 0.9 V, B-C Junction Contact Potential= 0.7 V
E- B Junction Total Depletion Layer Width= 0.1 µm,
B-C Junction Total Depletion Layer Width = 0.4 µm

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 EE  212-­Semiconductor  Devices  and  Modeling  
Spring  2010-­2011  

12. Ebers-Moll equations for npn transistor is given as

(a) Write down Ebers-Moll equations for a pnp transistor.

iE =

iB =

iC =

(b) Consider the following circuits constructed using the same BJT. Find base-to-collector current
amplification factor βF of the transistor. VT = kT/q = 25mV.

E B C
19.6 mA
p n p

0.65 V

E B C

0.243 mA
p n p

0.5 V

E B C

-2x10-15A
p n p

-1 V -1 V

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 EE  212-­Semiconductor  Devices  and  Modeling  
Spring  2010-­2011  

(c) Assume for a specific biasing circuit, the transistor operates at the boundary between forward
active mode and saturation mode. Draw the equivalent circuit for the transistor at the given
operating point.

(d) Employing the simplified equivalent circuit of part c), or working directly with the Ebers Moll
equations, obtain an expression for VEC at the specified operating point. Your answer should be in
terms of IB and Ebers-Moll parameters.

13.

14. The parameters of the BJT shown in the figure are as follows: αF=0.99, αR=0.2. The collector
current is IC=1mA and VT=25mV.

(a) Calculate the base current if the voltage between the collector and the emitter is VCE=0.1V.
You can make reasonable approximations to simplify your calculations.What is the operation
region of the transistor?
(b) Repeat part (a) if the collector current is kept constant but VCE is increased to 0.3V. You can
make reasonable approximations to simplify your calculations
(c) By comparing the base current and the collector current values comment on whether the
transistor in part (a) or part (b) is biased closer to the boundary of the operation region found
in part (a).

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 EE  212-­Semiconductor  Devices  and  Modeling  
Spring  2010-­2011  

15.

16. A pnp BJT is connected to a DC current source (I1) and a DC voltage source (VCC).

Assume βF=20=5βR. Ignore the Early effect. Sketch ICC versus VCC for -5V<VCC<5V for a family of
I1 values of 0 mA, 0.1 mA and 0.2 mA in the same graph. Label the operation modes of the BJT in
your drawing by providing the necessary explanations.

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 EE  212-­Semiconductor  Devices  and  Modeling  
Spring  2010-­2011  

17. IB-VBE characteristic of the npn BJT used in the following circuit is given below. Emitter injection
efficiency and base transport factor of the BJT are both equal to 0.995. Contribution of the thermally
generated minority carriers around the B-C depletion region to base current is negligible.

a) Find the collector current and collector-emitter voltage of the BJT in the following circuit, and plot the
IC-VCE characteristic of the BJT on the provided graph. Mark the Q-point (operating point) (as Q) of the
BJT on the IC-VCE characteristic. Also show the boundary point (as B) between forward saturation and
forward active regions on the IC-VCE characteristic assuming that BJT enters saturation region when
VCE=0.8 V. Assume that the collector current is independent of VCB in the forward active region.

Do not attempt to use the transport (Ebers-Moll) equations. You are expected to plot the IC-VCE
characteristic corresponding to the IB flowing in the following circuit.

b) Find the value of RC required to put the BJT on the boundary between the forward saturation and
forward active regions under the same VBB (0.75 V) and VCC (5 V).

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 EE  212-­Semiconductor  Devices  and  Modeling  
Spring  2010-­2011  

18.

(a) Derive expressions for the i-v characteristics of the transistors shown in figures (a) and (b), in
terms of Is, αF, and αR.
(b) When the two transistors in figures (a) and (b) are identical, and the currents are made equal
to a value I, it is found that the voltage v is 0.7 V for the diode in (a) and 0.6 V for the diode
in (b). Find αF /αR.
(c) Assume that the ratio αF/αR is obtained for an n+pn+ transistor (emitter doping density
=collector doping density). What does this ratio imply about the transistor geometry?
(d) For the transistor circuit shown below, find expressions for iE and i in terms of v, Is, βR and
βF. Find the ratio of the two currents (i / iE). Assume v>>0 and βF >>βR.

19. The BJT in the following figure has a floating Base connection. Derive the relationship between
IE and VEC starting from the Ebers-Moll Model equations.

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 EE  212-­Semiconductor  Devices  and  Modeling  
Spring  2010-­2011  

20. Consider the pnp BJT pictured in the figure. Let WE be the quasineutral width of the emitter and
assume excess minority carrier concentration (∆nE)=0 at the metallic emitter contact (x`=WE). Also
assume that ∆pB=0 at the base-collector junction (x=WB). The emitter doping (NE) is 100 times
greater than the base doping (NB).

a) The emitter width (WE) is 0.1 times the base width (WB). Assume that both the emitter
and the base widths are much shorter than the carrier diffusion lengths Ln and Lp.
i) Sketch the minority carrier distribution on emitter and base regions for forward active
mode operation of the BJT.
ii) Find the emitter injection efficiency.
iii) What is the base transport factor based on the above assumption?
b) Assume that both the emitter and the base widths are much wider than the
diffusion lengths.
i) Sketch the minority carrier distribution on emitter and base regions for forward active
mode operation of the BJT.
ii) Find the emitter injection efficiency.
iii) What is the base transport factor based on the above assumption?

21. Consider an n-p-n BJT with the E-B junction forward biased and VCB= 0V. Ignore recombination
in the base and find the expressions for the total excess electron charge in the base (Qn) and diffusion
capacitance (CD) in terms of VBE, equilibrium electron concentration in the base (nbo) and the other
necessary parameters.

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 EE  212-­Semiconductor  Devices  and  Modeling  
Spring  2010-­2011  

22. Consider the following Si n-p-n bipolar junction transistor. The E-B and B-C depletion regions
are shown on the figure with the charge due to ionized impurities.

Diffusion coefficient of holes in emitter= 4 cm2/sec

Diffusion coefficient of electrons in base= 8 cm2/sec
Hole recombination lifetime in emitter= 2.95x10-9 sec
Electron recombination lifetime in base= 1x10-6 sec
A (E-B Junction cross-sectional area)=1x10-4 cm2 , kT/q=VT= 25 mV, ni= 1x1010 cm-3

a) What is the region of operation for the BJT. Why?

b) How does this device operates as a controlled current source (Ic controlled by VBE) ? Explain
in every detail only with words .
c) Use kT/q=VT= 25 mV, ni= 1x1010 cm-3 for the plots requested in this part.

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 EE  212-­Semiconductor  Devices  and  Modeling  
Spring  2010-­2011  

i) Plot the total hole concentration in the emitter. Note that y-axis is in log scale.

ii) Ignore recombination in the base and plot the total electron concentration in the base
(your plot must reflect zero recombination in the base). Use linearly scaled y-axis
and label the values of n on the y-axis at the indicated (three) locations.

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 EE  212-­Semiconductor  Devices  and  Modeling  
Spring  2010-­2011  

d) Ignore recombination in the E-B depletion region. Derive the expression for the emitter
current in terms of ni, NA , ND , VBE , WB , Lp , Dn , Dp and other necessary parameters.
Calculate the emitter current. Show complete work and simplify your expression noting that
VBE >>VT. You do not need to derive the expressions for the excess carrier distributions in the
emitter and base.
e) Calculate the emitter injection efficiency.
f) Ignore recombination in the base and the thermally generated minority carriers in/around the
B-C depletion region and find the collector current.
g) Ignore recombination in the base and the thermally generated minority carriers in/around the
B-C depletion region and find the base current.
h) Estimate the saturation current Is of the BJT using your answer to part (f) and the simplified
expression for the collector current in terms of Is.
i) Ignore recombination in the base and estimate the new collector current if VCB is increased
and WB is decreased to 1x10-4 cm (VBE is not changed). Clearly explain your reasoning.
j) Explain a mechanism that establishes an upper limit for VCB?

23. Answer the following questions for a p+np bipolar transistor at room temperature, assume that the
BJT is operating in the forward active region. Dp = 5 cm2s-1,Dn = 10cm2s-1, WE = 500 nm; A = 25
µm2, NAE = 1019 cm-3, NDB = 1017cm-3,NAC = 1016cm-3.

i) What should the base width WB be for a current gain βF of 100? Neglect depletion region widths.

ii) What is the emitter-base p-n diode saturation current IES?

iii) What is the EB voltage for a collector current of IC = 100 µA?

iv) What is the base diffusion capacitance CD for IC = 100 µA?

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