Drift-diffusion model

mathematical model for semiclassical transport of free electrons and holes in a self-consistent electric field

Also known as van Roosbroeck system, semiconductor equations, basic device equations, classical drift-diffusion model, drift-diffusion equations

mathematical model

MaRDI QIDQ6675396FDOCommunityMathModDB

Description

The drift-diffusion system describes the semi-classical transport of free electrons and holes in a self-consistent electric field using a drift-diffusion approximation. It became the standard model to describe the current flow in semiconductor devices such as diodes, transistors, LEDs, solar cells and lasers, as well as quantum nanostructures and organic semiconductors.

Semiconductor drift-diffusion models are closely related to reaction–diffusion systems and Poisson–Nernst–Planck models. The latter are used in biological applications to model electro-diffusive ion transport through ion channels across cell membranes.

Contained entities

Poisson's equation for the electric potential (semiconductors)	$- \nabla \cdot (ϵ_{s} \nabla ψ) = q (C + p (ψ, ϕ_{p}) - n (ψ, ϕ_{n}))$	governing equation
	$C$ represents doping profile
	$ϵ_{s}$ represents permittivity
	$ϕ_{n}$ represents quasi-Fermi potential for electrons
	$ϕ_{p}$ represents quasi-Fermi potential for holes
	$ψ$ represents electric potential
	$n$ represents electron density
	$p$ represents hole density
	$q$ represents elementary charge

continuity equation for electrons	$- q \partial_{t} n (ψ, ϕ_{n}) + \nabla \cdot 𝐣_{n} = q R (ψ, ϕ_{n}, ϕ_{p})$	governing equation
	$R$ represents recombination rate for electron hole pairs
	$ϕ_{n}$ represents quasi-Fermi potential for electrons
	$ϕ_{p}$ represents quasi-Fermi potential for holes
	$ψ$ represents electric potential
	$𝐣_{n}$ represents electric current density of electrons
	$q$ represents elementary charge
	$n$ represents electron density

continuity equation for holes	$q \partial_{t} p (ψ, ϕ_{p}) + \nabla \cdot 𝐣_{p} = - q R (ψ, ϕ_{n}, ϕ_{p})$	governing equation
	$R$ represents recombination rate for electron hole pairs
	$ϕ_{n}$ represents quasi-Fermi potential for electrons
	$ϕ_{p}$ represents quasi-Fermi potential for holes
	$ψ$ represents electric potential
	$𝐣_{p}$ represents electric current density of holes
	$q$ represents elementary charge
	$p$ represents hole density

current density relation for electrons	$𝐣_{n} = - q μ_{n} n (ψ, ϕ_{n}) \nabla ϕ_{n}$
	$ϕ_{n}$ represents quasi-Fermi potential for electrons
	$ψ$ represents electric potential
	$n$ represents electron density
	$q$ represents elementary charge
	$μ_{n}$ represents mobility of electrons
	$𝐣_{n}$ represents electric current density of electrons

current density relation for holes	$𝐣_{p} = - q μ_{p} p (ψ, ϕ_{p}) \nabla ϕ_{p}$
	$ϕ_{p}$ represents quasi-Fermi potential for holes
	$ψ$ represents electric potential
	$p$ represents hole density
	$q$ represents elementary charge
	$μ_{p}$ represents mobility of holes
	$𝐣_{p}$ represents electric current density of holes

Boltzmann approximation for electrons	$n (ψ, ϕ_{n}) = N_{c} \exp (\frac{q (ψ - ϕ_{n}) - E_{c}}{k_{B} T})$
	$q$ represents elementary charge
	$E_{c}$ represents band edge energy for conduction band
	$N_{c}$ represents effective density of states in the conduction band
	$T$ represents temperature
	$ϕ_{n}$ represents quasi-Fermi potential for electrons
	$ψ$ represents electric potential
	$k_{B}$ represents Boltzmann constant
	$n$ represents electron density

Boltzmann approximation for holes	$p (ψ, ϕ_{p}) = N_{v} \exp (\frac{q (ϕ_{p} - ψ) + E_{v}}{k_{B} T})$
	$q$ represents elementary charge
	$E_{v}$ represents band edge energy for valence band
	$N_{v}$ represents effective density of states in the valence band
	$T$ represents temperature
	$ϕ_{p}$ represents quasi-Fermi potential for holes
	$ψ$ represents electric potential
	$k_{B}$ represents Boltzmann constant
	$p$ represents hole density

Dirichlet boundary condition for electric potential	$ψ (𝐫, t) \|_{Γ_{k}} = ψ_{0, k} + U_{k} (t)$	boundary condition
	$U_{k}$ represents applied external voltage
	$Γ_{k}$ represents electrode interfaces
	$ψ$ represents electric potential
	$t$ represents time
	$ψ_{0, k}$ represents built-in potential
	$k$ represents contact index

Dirichlet boundary condition for quasi-Fermi potential for electrons	$ϕ_{n} (𝐫, t) \|_{Γ_{k}} = U_{k} (t)$	boundary condition
	$U_{k}$ represents applied external voltage
	$Γ_{k}$ represents electrode interfaces
	$ϕ_{n}$ represents quasi-Fermi potential for electrons
	$t$ represents time
	$k$ represents contact index

Dirichlet boundary condition for quasi-Fermi potential for holes	$ϕ_{p} (𝐫, t) \|_{Γ_{k}} = U_{k} (t)$	boundary condition
	$U_{k}$ represents applied external voltage
	$Γ_{k}$ represents electrode interfaces
	$ϕ_{p}$ represents quasi-Fermi potential for holes
	$t$ represents time
	$k$ represents contact index

Neumann boundary condition for electric potential	${𝝂 \cdot \nabla ψ (𝐫, t) \|}_{Γ_{N}} = 0$	boundary condition
	$Γ_{N}$ represents artificial boundary interface
	$ψ$ represents electric potential
	$t$ represents time
	$𝝂$ represents unit normal vector

Neumann boundary condition for electron Fermi potential	$𝝂 \cdot \nabla ϕ_{n} (𝐫, t) \|_{Γ_{N}} = 0$	boundary condition
	$Γ_{N}$ represents artificial boundary interface
	$ϕ_{n}$ represents quasi-Fermi potential for electrons
	$𝝂$ represents unit normal vector
	$t$ represents time

Neumann boundary condition for hole Fermi potential	$𝝂 \cdot \nabla ϕ_{p} (𝐫, t) \|_{Γ_{N}} = 0$	boundary condition
	$Γ_{N}$ represents artificial boundary interface
	$ϕ_{p}$ represents quasi-Fermi potential for holes
	$𝝂$ represents unit normal vector
	$t$ represents time

Computational tasks

semiconductor charge neutrality, semiconductor thermodynamic equilibrium, semiconductor current voltage

References

Drift-Diffusion Models	(review)
Numerical methods for drift-diffusion models	(review)
Theory of the flow of electrons and holes in Germanium and other semiconductors	(invention)

Discretizations

Scharfetter-Gummel scheme

Further links

Item	Property
charge transport in semiconductor devices	modelled by

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