What is the depletion region of a pn junction?

What is the depletion region of a pn junction?

This space-charge region on either side of the junction together is known as the depletion region as the electrons and holes taking part in the initial movement across the junction depleted the region of its free charges.

What is the junction depletion layer?

In semiconductor physics, the depletion region, also called depletion layer, depletion zone, junction region, space charge region or space charge layer, is an insulating region within a conductive, doped semiconductor material where the mobile charge carriers have been diffused away, or have been forced away by an …

Why is depletion layer formed in pn junction?

Movement of electrons to the p-type side exposes positive ion cores in the n-type side while movement of holes to the n-type side exposes negative ion cores in the p-type side, resulting in an electron field at the junction and forming the depletion region.

What is depletion in semiconductor?

[ dĭ-plē′shən ] A region in a semiconductor device, usually at the juncture of P-type and N-type materials, in which there is neither an excess of electrons nor of holes. Large depletion regions inhibit current flow.

What are the consequences of depletion region?

Depletion Region Details Filling a hole makes a negative ion and leaves behind a positive ion on the n-side. A space charge builds up, creating a depletion region which inhibits any further electron transfer unless it is helped by putting a forward bias on the junction.

What is depletion layer in p-n junction diode?

As the name suggests the depletion region consists of atoms depleted of charges i.e. there are IONS in this region. When the p region (holes as majority and electrons as minority carriers) and n region ( vice versa of p region) are brought togther there is Electostatic FORCE of attraction between the majority charge carriers of both the regions.

Is the depletion region near the junction positive or negative?

But a small region near the junction in the P-type region becomes negatively charged and similarly, a small region near the junction N-type region becomes positively charged. Both these charged regions are cumulatively called depletion region which contains neither free electrons nor holes.

What happens after the formation of the depletion layer?

Thus after the formation of the depletion layer, no free electrons can pass the depletion region. After the formation of the depletion layer, these positive and negative charges are held together across the junction. According to the Coulomb law, these charge regions across the junction will be an acting force on each other.

Why are the holes in a semiconductor called the depletion region?

Holes in a P-side region near to the interface are also gone by a similar reason. As a result, majority charge carriers (free electrons for the N-type semiconductor, and holes for the P-type semiconductor) are depleted in the region around the junction interface, so this region is called the depletion region…