EE 30566 Solid State Devices

Spring semester, 2007

Time: M W F 9:35 – 10:25 Debartolo, Room 120

Office Hours: Wednesday 10:30 – 12:30

Course description

In this class, we will study the physics and technology of various semiconductor-based electronic and optical devices. I will place a strong emphasis on the ability to draw accurate band diagrams. We will begin with a detailed study of the properties of various types of junctions (p-n junctions, heterojunctions, metal-semiconductor junctions) and how current flows across them. This will lead us naturally to the various electronic devices such as Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs and the many variants), and Field Effect Transistors (FETs and the many variants). With miniaturization, today’s solid-state devices are exciting playgrounds for applied quantum mechanics; quantum wells and dots are regularly used not only for the study of fundamental physics, but technologically relevant devices. A strong emphasis will be placed on the quantum-mechanical engineering of semiconductor devices. The course will culminate with an analysis of the most basic optical devices, the Light Emitting Diode (LED). The importance of miniaturization and heterostructures in modern high-speed quantum-effect devices will be emphasized throughout. I encourage questions and discussion in and out of the class.

Examinations and grading

50% Assignments (~one every week)

10% 1^st Mid Term

15% 2^nd Mid Term

25% Final Exam

Syllabus/Text/References

The required text for the class is -

Device Electronics for Integrated Circuits

Richard Muller, Theodore Kamins, and Mansun Chan

John Wiley and Sons, 3^rd Edition, ISBN: 0471593982

The suggested references are -

Physics of Semiconductor Devices

Simon Sze, Wiley

A classic. Very encyclopedic; an excellent handbook for practicing device engineers.

Fundamentals of VLSI devices

Taur and Ning, Cambridge University Press

Very comprehensive and well written textbook, but limits itself to Silicon based electronic devices. I highly recommend it as an accompanying text.

Class Notes

I will hand out notes as and when required. I will post typed notes for the topics I prefer presenting in ways different from the textbook/references. Unless otherwise stated, the textbook will be the primary source of reference.

No.	Topic	Date posted

Assignments

Problems in the assignment are designed for you to solve on your own. Many of the problems are carefully designed to emphasize the concepts rather than crunching numbers. Discussion of problems amongst yourself and with the instructor is encouraged. However, the solutions have to be your own. Deadlines are strictly enforced. Turn in your assignment solutions by 5pm of the due date in the instructor’s mailbox at 275 Fitzpatrick. I will assign one assignment per week. Please print out the problem sheet and attach it on top of your solution with your name and email address. Please do not turn in your scratch papers – write up the final solution neatly and BOX your final answers wherever appropriate.

No.	Topic	Date posted	Date Due	Solutions
1.	Semiconductor bandstructure, Doping, and Gauss’s Law	1/20/2007	1/26/2007	pdf
2.	2DEGs, Drift-Diffusion, and Depletion	1/28/2007	2/02/2007	pdf
3.	Schottky and p-n junctions – digging deeper	2/04/2007	2/12/2007	pdf
4.	p-n junctions – different strokes for different devices	2/11/2007	2/19/2007	pdf
5.	Currents in p-n junctions & Quantum Wells	2/23/2007	3/05/2007	pdf
6.	Heterojunctions, R-G processes & Solar Cells	3/06/2007	3/19/2007	pdf
7.	BJTs, HBTs, and Radiation Lifetimes of BJTs	3/21/2007	3/30/2007	pdf
8.	High injection effects in HBTs & Moore’s Law	3/30/2007	4/11/2007	pdf
9.	MESFETs, HEMTs, & MOS Capacitors	4/16/2007	4/25/2007	pdf
10.	All about MOSFETs & Scaling	4/26/2007	5/04/2007	pdf

Exams

No.	Exam	Solutions
1.	Designing a ‘MESJFET’	pdf
2.	BJT Fundamentals	pdf
3.	All Topics	pdf

For practice: Previous year exam questions

1^st Mid Term: 2004 2005 2006

2^nd Mid Term: 2004 2005 2006

Final Exam: 2004 2005 2006

Reviews

No.		Date posted
1.	Review Slides (All Topics)	5/6/2007

Links to similar graduate level classes offered at other universities:

No.	Course	Where
1.	MIT-1, MIT-2	MIT
2.	UCSB	UC Santa Barbara
3.	Purdue	Purdue

This page is maintained by: Debdeep Jena (djena@nd.edu)

Last updated: 5/11/2007