Contribution of injection in current noise due to generation and recombination of carriers in p – n junctions

A theory for the current noise associated with carrier generation and recombination in the space-charge region of p – n junctions is presented. We propose a noise model based on the response of the electric field to fluctuations of the trapped charge in this region, and make use of a collective transport-noise theory. The effects of the fluctuations of the space-charge region borders due to the fluctuations of the trapped charge are now taken into account. This new contribution is negligible when generation–recombination current governs the diode current. However, it is significant when diffusion current dominates, allowing the analytical study of generation–recombination noise to be extended to wider ranges of bias and temperature. Experimental results at low and high temperatures are explained with our theory. Empirical formulas of current noise density are also explained according to this complete theory of current noise calculation. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. @DOI: 10.1063/1.1403676#