Abstract
Injection of excess carriers into thei region of a forward biasedpin diode diminishes proportionally its resistivity (primary circuit). Resistivity variations in thei region are used to control higher currents and powers in the secondary circuit. This basic idea is developed quantitatively for a simplified symmetrical model of thepin structure in a stationary regime and then generalized for the asymmetrical case. The frequency characteristics of the electronic device are studied. For demonstration of the theoretical results thepin structure in silicon with known parameters is used.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- 2d [m]:
-
length ofi region
- D [m2 s−1]:
-
ambipolar diffusion constant
- e [C]:
-
electron charge
- E 2 [Vm−1]:
-
electric field strength iny direction
- i 1 [Am−2]:
-
current density inx direction
- i 2 [Am−2]:
-
current density iny direction
- i m [Am−2]:
-
current density due to recombination of carriers ini region
- i 1ef ,i 2ef [Am−2]:
-
effective values of currentsi 1,i 2
- i ns ,i ps [Am−2]:
-
saturated current densities from the heavily dopedn, p regions
- i :
-
intrinsic region
- I [A]:
-
total current throughp-n junction
- I 1 [A]:
-
total current in pin diode
- I 2 [A]:
-
current in secondary circuit
- k[J grad−1]:
-
Boltzmann's constant
- L=√(Dτ) [m]:
-
ambipolar diffusion length of carriers in middle region
- n(x) [m−3]:
-
excess electron concentration in middle region
- ¯n [m−3]:
-
average value of electron concentration in middle region
- n i [m−3]:
-
intrinsic electron concentration
- n A [m−3]:
-
acceptor concentration inp region
- n D [m−3]:
-
donor concentration inn region
- p(x) [m−3]:
-
excess hole concentration in middle region
- q [m2]:
-
area of electrodes 3 and 4
- Q [C]:
-
charge stored ini region
- R [m−3 s−1]:
-
recombination rate
- s [m]:
-
width of diode
- t [m]:
-
thickness of diode
- T [K]:
-
absolute temperature
- U [V]:
-
voltage acrossp-n junction
- U 1 [V]:
-
voltage acrosspin diode
- U 2 [V]:
-
voltage across terminals of secondary circuit
- U m [V]:
-
voltage drop acrossi region
- V D [V]:
-
voltage drop acrossn — i andp — i junctions at zero load
- W 1 [W]:
-
power inpin diode circuit
- W 2 [W]:
-
power in secondary circuit
- x [m]:
-
distance from center of diode
- α :
-
coefficient in current amplification factor
- ϕ [rad]:
-
phase shift of diode current with respect to applied voltage
- τ [s]:
-
life time of excess carriers ini region
- μ [m2 V−1 s−1]:
-
carrier mobility ini region in the symmetrical model
- μ n [m2 V−1 s−1]:
-
electron mobility ini region
- μ p [m2 V−1 s−1]:
-
hole mobility ini region
- σ [Ω−1 m−1]:
-
conductivity
References
Hall R. N., Proc. Instr. Radio Engers40 (1952), 1512.
Kleinmann D. A., Bell. Syst. Tech. J.35 (1956), 685.
Rose A., J. Appl. Phys.35 (1964), 2664.
Shockley W., Bell. Syst. Tech. J.28 (1949), 435.
Herlet A., Z. Naturf.11a (1956), 498.
Fletcher N. A., Proc. Instr. Radio Engers45 (1957), 862.
Jonscher A. K., J. Electron. Control5 (1958), 1.
Howard R. N., Johnson G. W., Solid-St. Electron.8 (1965), 275.
Herlet A., Solid-St. Electron.11 (1968), 717.
Spenke E., Solid-St. Electron.11 (1968), 1119.
Herlet A., Spenke E., Z. angew. Phys.7 (1955), 99, 149, 195.
Hoffmann A., Schuster K., Solit-St. Electron.7 (1964), 717.
Roulston D. J., Varshney R. C., Electron. letters5 (1969), 548.
Benda M., Spenke E., Proc. IEEE55 (1967), 1331.
Benda M., Hoffmann A., Spenke E., Solid-St. Electron.8 (1965), 887.
Hoffmann A., Spenke E., Solid-St. Electron.8 (1965), 693.
Varshney R. L., Roulston D. J., Solid-St. Electron.13 (1970), 1081.
Bube R. H., Proc. IRE43 (12), (1955), 1836.
Moss T. S., Optical properties of semiconductors, London 1959.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Koňák, Č., Koňáková, A. Thepin structure employed as current amplifier. Czech J Phys 24, 1008–1017 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01591052
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01591052