Courses Detail Information

ECE6201J – Semiconductor Physics


Instructors:

Yaping Dan

Credits: 3 credits

Pre-requisites: Advanced mathematics, basic of quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, statistical physics and crystallography

Description:

The main objective of this course is to convey insight into why semiconductors are peculiar compared to metals and insulators. In this respect, Starting with these two extreme materials is of fundamental importance to understanding semiconductors. There will be some overlap with Ve504 and because the course covers several aspects of solid states physics, I believe it is very useful offering the students different points of view about the same concepts, which are neither trivial nor intuitive.
In this course I attempt to establish a bridge between two different and often separated conceptions of material science, the engineering and physics approaches.

Course Topics:

Highlights and approach

What is a semiconductor I

What is a semiconductor II

Boltzmann classical statistics

Drude model

Useful concepts imported from QM I

Useful concepts imported from QM II

Thermal vibrations

Concept of Fermi level I

Concept of Fermi level II

Sommerfeld theory I

Sommerfeld theory II

Crystals lattice

Reciprocal lattice and Brillouin zone

Wave and matter

Origin of the bandgap

Effective mass

Dopant diffusion I

Dopant diffusion II

Semiconductor and basic devices I

Semiconductor and basic devices II

Mobility I

Mobility II