Voltage-controlled structure of certainp-nandp-i-njunctions

Abstract

It is shown by solving the transport equations that an a priori uniform semiconductor which conducts ions as well as electrons and holes, in contact with two different chemical environments, will become a p-n or p-i-n junction exhibiting a new kind of rectifying properties. When the junction is placed in an electrical circuit the I-V relation will show a strong asymmetry under reversal of the applied voltage V. For large values of ‖V‖, the current I is linear in V but dV/dI is different by a few orders of magnitude for the forward and reverse biases. The distributions of donors in the n region and of acceptors in the p region, are shown to depend on V. This suggests that the shape of the p-n of p-i-n junction can be controlled at elevated temperatures, at which the ions are mobile, by applying a suitable voltage V. The junction can then be frozen in by quenching the solid to room temperature, at which state the applied voltage can be removed.