Modeling the Temperature-Dependence of Silicon Diode with Fermi-Dirac Statistics down to 50K

In this work, we present a comprehensive study of silicon diode current characteristics from room to cryogenic temperatures by experimental measurement, TCAD simulation, and physics model. For the first time in the diode current model, we employ the Fermi-Dirac statistic to calculate the Fermi levels for solving the carrier degeneration problem at low temperatures, while considering the incomplete ionization on the series resistance effect. The temperature dependence of built-in potential, and the forward and reverse current of the silicon diode are analyzed and modeled. Our model prediction has good agreement with calibrated TCAD in the temperature range from 50K to 300K. This work advances the temperature-dependence diode models, while effectively evaluating the parasitic PN junction currents in CMOS technology at cryogenic temperature.