PHYSICS 1070
SEMICONDUCTOR PHYSICS
To describe the electrical characteristics of non-ohmic devices such as p-n
junction diode, rectifying diode, Zener diodes, tunnel diode, photodiode, solar
cell, light-emitting diode (LED), field-effect transistor (FET), junction field-effect
transistor (JFET), metal-oxide semiconductor transistor (MOSFET), bipolar
junction transistor (BJT), Shottky diode, PIN devices, semiconductor lasers and
hetereojunctions we’ll need an understanding of some basic concepts in
electromagnetism.
Consider an abrupt pn junction;
Fig. 5.1 An Introduction to Semiconductor Devices, D. Neamen
Without illumination, the following IV characteristics are observed at the pn
junction providing no turn-on voltage is required. The quantity J is the current
density, I/A. This an example of a non-ohmic device.
Fig. 9.12 An Introduction to Semiconductor Devices, D. Neamen
