Analysis of current fluctuations in silicon pn+ and p+n homojunctions

Abstract

A detailed study of bipolar transport under forward-bias conditions is evaluated by Ensemble Monte Carlo simulation in two structures (p+n and pn+ junctions). The static characteristics of both structures are presented. In particular, this study focuses on a microscopic analysis of current fluctuations. A decomposition of the autocorrelation function of the total current fluctuations in electron, hole and crossed contributions is performed. In this way, the importance of each type of carrier in the spectral density of current fluctuations in both structures for a wide frequency range is determined. In the low frequency range, the presence of shot, thermal and excess noise was found. The Ensemble Monte Carlo method also permits ready evaluation of the noise equivalent temperature in both structures.