Module 3 Characteristic Times and Lengths

At the end of this module, you should be able to State the characteristic times and lengths associated with - the bulk carrier population under equilibrium - the relaxation of disturbance in * carrier momentum and energy * EHP generation / recombination * space-charge - the transit of an average carrier across the device length

Module 3 Characteristic Times and Lengths

At the end of this module, you should be able to State the situation, defining differential equation, and boundary conditions associated with each characteristic length and time Derive the defining differential equations associated with dielectric relaxation time, Debye length and diffusion length

Module 3 Characteristic Times and Lengths

At the end of this module, you should be able to Decide, for analyzing a given situation, - which equation to start with - what approximations are possible for decoupling, simplifying or eliminating any of the equations Express the qualitative analysis of a modeling problem using graphs of n, p, Jn, Jp, E, versus x and t
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Module 3 Characteristic Times and Lengths

At the end of this module, you should be able to State the order of magnitude of, and factors governing, the characteristic times and lengths State how each characteristic time and length is useful in establishing the validity range of some concept or an approximation of a physical situation / transport equation

Bulk Carrier Population in a Large Semiconductor under Equilibrium

RMS velocity or thermal velocity, vth De-Broglie wavelength of thermal average carrier th = h/mn,pvth th = h/kTC Mean free path between collisions (length AB), lc (> th) Mean free time between collisions (time AB), c = lc / vth (>th) Minority carrier lifetime (time GR), minority (> c)
+ h G

e-

n-type semiconductor

Relaxation of Small Disturbances in Carrier Momentum and Energy

p0 t=0 momentum t 3M (p0) Momentum relaxation time t 3E (p0) Energy relaxation time

Many collisions elastic, i.e. do not affect carrier energy (E) energy relaxes later than momentum, i.e. M < E Some scatterings are non-isotropic, i.e. deflect carrier little, and so, do not affect momentum c< M

Relaxation of Small Disturbances in Carrier Momentum and Energy

p0 t=0 momentum t 3M (p0) Momentum relaxation time t 3E (p0) Energy relaxation time

M , E depend on scattering options which are functions of p0 or KE and derivable from quantum mechanics

DD Transport Model for Our Course

Current density equations Continuity equations

Flow

Creation
J n = qDn n + qn n E
J p = -qDp p + qpp E

Continuity

Jn Jp
E

t n = (1 q ) iJ n + G - ( n )
t p = - (1 q ) iJ p + G - ( p ) iE = /
Gauss law

E =

= - E dl I = J dS

Electrostatic equations
J = Jn + Jp

n = n - n 0 p = p - p 0

minority
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Relaxation of Disturbance in EHP G/R

Volume generation of excess EHPs in n-type semicon. at t = 0

Steady state surface generation of excess EHPs

t=0 p p +p 0 p0 0 3 p

t 3 p p p +p 0 p0 0

n-type

3 Lp

Minority carrier diffusion length

p - Minority carrier lifetime

L p = Dp p
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Relaxation of Disturbance in EHP G/R

Assignment-3.1 Refer to the previous slide. Sketch n, p, Jn, Jp, E and in an n-type semiconductor as a function of x for two different t when excess EHP concentration generated in the semiconductor volume at (a) t = 0, and (b) x = 0, relaxes to equilibrium. In each case, show (i) each of the pairs n, p and Jn, Jp on the same plot; (ii) p, n on both semi-log and linear plots.
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Relaxation of Disturbance in EHP G/R

Assignment-3.2
n

The quasi-neutrality approximation is generally valid in a uniformly doped semiconductor region with excess EHPs, even if the EHP concentration varies with distance or time. Establish the validity of this approximation in the n-region (see figure below) having surface generation of EHPs due to illumination at one end, where an electric field develops out of the need to maintain |Jn| = |Jp|.
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Relaxation of Disturbance in EHP G/R

Assignment-3.3 Consider the following two cases (see figure) (a) n-region of a forward biased p+n junction; (b) n-region with surface generation of EHPs due to illumination. Point out similarities and differences in the steady state distributions of n, p, Jn, Jp, E, for the two cases.
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+ p+

Relaxation of Disturbance in Space-charge

Injection of carriers of one polarity into a semiconductor volume at t = 0 Example n-type semiconductor n(0) n0 0 3 d 3 d t

t=0

t d

Dielectric relaxation time

d =

(0)

Majority carrier injection at t = 0

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Relaxation of Disturbance in Space-charge

Injection of carriers of one polarity into a semiconductor volume at t = 0 + + + + + + t=0 Space-charge neutralization by majority carriers + + + + + + t 3 d + + + + + + + + + + t 3(d +p)

+ + +

n-type

Decay of excess carriers by EHP recombination

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Minority carrier injection at t = 0

Relaxation of Disturbance in Space-charge

Minority carrier injection at t = 0

Assignment-3.4 Refer to the previous slide. Sketch the semi-log and linear plots of n, p and in an n-type semiconductor as a function of time, when minority carriers, i.e. holes, are injected into the semiconductor volume at t = 0. Show n and p on the same plot.
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Relaxation of Disturbance in Space-charge

Surface Electric Field, E Abrupt change in doping
+ + +

E
n(0) n0 0

n-type

n+

n Nd

3 LD

n x 0 ~3LD x

s
0 0 3 LD x

Debye length L D = Vt

(0)

( qN )
+ D

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Relaxation of Disturbance in Space-charge

Assignment-3.5 (a) Sketch the distributions of n, p, E, and as a function of x within the semiconductor for the surface field condition shown in the figure. E
+ + n-type + + +

n+

+ + +

(a)

(b)

(b) Sketch the distributions of and as a function of x within the semiconductor when the doping changes abruptly as shown.
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Relaxation of Disturbance in Space-charge

Assignment-3.6 Express the depletion width of a p+-n junction in terms of the LD of the lightly doped region. Estimate how many times LD is the depletion width of a typical p+-n junction.

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Transit Time
It is the duration in which - an average carrier moves across the device length, L or - a charge, Q, equal to that in the device volume within L is swept out of the device under the assumptions of 1) steady state 2) unipolar flow 3) no G/R within L

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Transit Time
Independent of the transport mechanism

tr12 =
1

dx = v(x)

Aq p ( x ) dx
1

Q I

2 tr = L V for drift across length L dropping a voltage V

tr = L2 2D for diffusion across length L

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Transit Time
Assignment-3.7 Consider the holes diffusing across the n-region of a forward biased long p-n junction. The exponential hole distribution implies a + p+
n

p(0) p0 3 Lp

hole current I = qADp(p(0)-p0)/Lp injected from charge of Q = qA(p(0)-p0)Lp. Application of the

the p+ region into the n-region and an excess hole formula tr = Q/I yields tr = Lp2/Dp. Comment on the validity of this transit time derivation.
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Transit Time
Assignment-3.8 Derive the transit time, tr, of holes drifting from source to drain via the inversion layer of an pchannel MOSFET having channel length, L, biased on the verge of saturation by VGS > VT and VDS =

VDSat . Estimate tr assuming L = 0.5 m, p = 100

cm2V-1s-1, VGS-VT = 1 V, and using a suitable approximation for the variation of the inversion charge with distance along the channel. Compare your answer with the tr of holes across the 0.5 m
basewidth of a p-n-p BJT, using a suitable value of Dp.
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Relationships among Characteristic Times and Lengths

In a variety (not all) of semiconductor devices th < c < M < E < d < tr < minority (tr depends on device size) a < th < lc< LD < Lminority (a is lattice constant)

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Relationships among Characteristic Times and Lengths

Assignment-3.9 Considering the geometry and doping of a modern n-p-n bipolar transistor, estimate and compare the d and tr of the base region. State what implications this might have on this device. modeling of the high frequency operation of

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Validity Range of the Quasi-static Approximations

Approximation Valid for

t n = (1 q ) x J n + G - ( n - n 0 ) minority
t Q I = i S ( t ) ( Q I tr ) i B ( t )
B = J = ( J n + J p ) + t E = ( E d ) + t E

f << ( 2 minority )

-1

f << ( 2 tr ) f << ( 2 d )

-1

-1

E = - t B

Device size, L << EM wave or

f << L

-1

t Wn = x FW + EJ n - ( Wn - Wn0 ) E + S E

f << ( 2 E )

-1

t J n = ( 2q m n ) x Wn + q 2 En m n - ( J n M )

f << ( 2 M ) f << ( 2 c )

-1

t f = vir f F i p f + t f coll + s(r,p, t)

-1

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Validity of Transport Equations

Silicon 104 Characteristic length (nm) 103 102
Balance Equations (HD / ET) Drift-diffusion

GaAs 105 104 103 102 10 1 1000

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10 1 0.1 0.01

Boltzmann Transport Quantum Transport

0.1

10

100

Characteristic time (ps)

Validity Range of the Particle Approximation for Carriers Between Collisions

A carrier can be regarded as a particle rather than wave if

1) lc >> th = h / mn,pvth, i.e. the carrier momentum is large enough to allow sharp localization within lc; n (Si) = 120 Ao, n (GaAs) = 240 Ao at 300 K
2) c >> th = h / kTC, i.e. the carrier energy is large enough to allow sharp localization within c, or, the carrier remains in a state long enough to have a well defined energy (you get this relation from = -1 and = E / h where E = Energy of average thermal carrier = kTC).
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Validity Range of the Particle Approximation for Carriers Between Collisions

A carrier can be regarded as a particle rather than wave if
3) Potential experienced by the carrier varies little over

- length = th = h / mn,pvth - time =th = h / kTC, i.e. fapplied voltage << kTC / h (= 6 x 1012 Hz at 300 K) A carrier experiencing more rapid potential variation undergoes reflection from and transmission into the potential barrier in accordance with the wave nature.
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Analogy Explaining the Conditions for Validity of the Particle Approximation

In modeling of the wheel movement, the wavy nature of the road can be ignored if R >> , h of the wavyness

R h
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Validity Range of the BTE

t f = vir f Fip f + t f
coll

+ s(r,p, t)

1) Conditions allowing the particle approximation hold 2) Device dimensions >> lc and signal varies over time interval >> c so as to include many scattering events.

Validity Range of the Band Structure

Device dimensions >> a
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