P-N Junction Diode

The P-N junction

When p-type and n-type semiconductors brought
in contact with each other, we observe a
drastically changed behavior and set of new
properties, from the resulting device.
The p-n junction is a versatile element, which can
be used as a rectifier, as an amplifier and as a
voltage-regulator and a switch. In addition, they
can be used as solar cells, photodiodes, light
emitting diodes and even laser diodes. They can
also

The PN Junction Diode
When a P-type semiconductor region and an N-type
semiconductor region are in contact, a PN junction
diode is formed.
V
D
I
D
+
p-type material
Semiconductor material
doped with acceptors.
Contains NEGATIVELY
charged acceptors ions
(immovable) and
POSITIVELY charged holes
(free).
Total charge = 0

n-type material
Semiconductor material
doped with donors.
Contains POSITIVELY
charged donors ions
(immovable) and
NEGATIVELY charged free
electrons.
Total charge = 0

p-n junction formation
p- n junction formation
What happens if n- and p-type materials are in close contact?
Being free particles, electrons start diffusing from n-type material into p-material
Being free particles, holes, too, start diffusing from p-type material into n-material
N- type
P- type
p- n junction formation
What happens if n- and p-type materials are in close contact?
Electrons and holes diffused in p and nregions respectively, annihilate, leaving
negatively charged donor ion (in p-region) and positively charged acceptor ion
(in n-region).
Negative charge stops electrons from further diffusion
Positive charge stops holes from further diffusion
The diffusion forms a dipole charge layer at the p-n junction interface-
DEPLETION LAYER
There is a built-in VOLTAGE at the p-n junction interface that prevents
penetration of electrons into the p-side and holes into the n-side.
p-type n-type
Depletion Region
As conduction electrons and holes diffuse across the junction,
they leave behind ionized dopants. Thus, a region that is
depleted of mobile carriers is formed.
The charge density in the depletion region is not zero.
The carriers which diffuse across the junction recombine with majority
carriers, i.e. they are annihilated.
width=W
dep
PN Junction diode current voltage (I-V) characteristics
0
exp 1
qV
I I
kT
(
| |
=
|
(
\ .

p n
Semiconductor diode consists of a p-n junction with two
contacts attached to the p- and n- sides
I
0
is usually a very small current, I
0
10
-17
10
-13
A
When the voltage V is negative (reverse polarity) the exponential term -1;
The diode current is I
S
( very small).
0 V
When the voltage V is positive (forward polarity) the exponential term
increases rapidly with V and the current is high.
P-N Junction - V-I characteristics
Voltage-Current relationship for a p-n junction (diode)

Note: When pn junction is reversed bias practically no
current flows through it ,but a very small current flows
through due to minority charge carriers ,which is known
as saturation current or reverse saturation current .
Diode Resistance
A PN junction diode works both with DC and
AC, accordingly it has following two types of
resistances-
1. DC or static resistance-
R
dc
= V/I
where I = DC Current, V = DC voltage through the diode.
2. AC or dynamic resistance-
It is the ratio of change in voltage dV to corresponding change
in current dI.
Thus, R
ac
= dV/dI
P-N Junction: A BAND-GAP VIEWPOINT

Properties of an equilibrium p-n junction; (a) Isolated neutral region of p-type
and n-type material and their respective band arrangements and Fermi Levels
(b) The transition region W is having an electric field () and therefore a
potential V
0
(contact potential, which also known as potential barrier)
(See Next Slide for further discussion)
Electrostatic Potential diagram of the
junction
Explanation for Electrostatic Potential Diagram of previous page:-
An electric field () is established inside the potential barrier.
Right hand side contains positive charge = High Potential
Left hand side contains negative charge = Low Potential
Therefore, a potential gradient is established in a direction opposite to electric field.
= -dV/dx (a fundamental relation)
Since, = Zero outside the depletion region (towards p-side and n-side)
Therefore, V should be constant in p-side and n-side and should be equal to V
p
and V
n .
Now, if we calculate the corresponding energy value from the potential-
For n-side, it is to be multiplied with (-q), therefore it will go down.
For p-side, it is to be multiplied with (+q), therefore it will go up.

Since V
n
is a higher potential than V
p
by amount V
0
, the electron energies
in the n-side are lower than those on p side by an amount of qV
0
.

The separation of the bands at equilibrium is just that required to make
Fermi Level constant throughout the device.
p-n junction diode: A BAND-GAP VIEWPOINT

p- type material n- type material p-n junction
The separation of the energy bands is a direct function of the
electrostatic potential barrier at the junction. The height of the
electron energy barrier is simply the electronic charge q times the
height of the potential barrier
Effects of bias on a p-n junction diode: A BAND-GAP
VIEWPOINT
Here V
0
is equilibrium
contact potential
Breakdown of a diode
In Electronics, the term breakdown stands for release of
electron-hole pairs in excess.
1. Avlanche Breakdown (uncontrolled)

2. Zener Breakdown (controlled)
The critical value of the voltage, at which the breakdown of a
P-N junction diode occurs is called the breakdown voltage.

The breakdown voltage depends on the width of the
depletion region, which, in turn, depends on the doping
level.
There are two mechanisms by which breakdown can occur at a
reverse biased P-N junction:
Avalanche breakdown
If the reverse bias is made very high, the thermally generated electrons and
holes get sufficient K.E from applied voltage to break the covalent bonds near
the junction and a large no. of electron-hole pairs are released.
These new carriers, in turn, produce additional carrier again by breaking bonds.
Thus reverse current then increase abruptly and may damage the junction by the
excessive heat generated.
The avalanche breakdown
voltage increases as the temp.
of the junction increases due to
the increased probability of
collisions of electron and holes
with crystal atoms.
The avalanche breakdown occurs in
lightly doped junctions, which
produce wide depletion layers.
Zener breakdown (controlled)
Zener Breakdown occurs at low voltage (<5 volts) in heavily
doped reverse biased p-n junction.
* Strong electric field directly (without impact of electron)
pull out the electrons from the covalence bond.
* Zener breakdown voltage decreases as the temp. of the
junction increases. Since an increase in temp. increase the energy
of valence electron.
Working of Zener Diode
At a certain reverse bias voltage (Zener voltage), in heavily doped p-n
diode, the bottom of conduction band in n-region becomes lower
than the top of valence band in p-region.
Electron now tunnel directly across the potential barrier from the
valence band in p-region into the conduction band in n-region.
Hence a large reverse current flows.
Application of Zener diode
As Voltage Stabilizer-

The main use of a Zener diode is in voltage
stabilization equipments, as it gives constant
output voltage for a broad range of input voltages.