338 Physical Electronics (3) Semiconductor device characteristics and applications. Physical models of electronic conduction in solids, p-n junctions, bipolar and field-effect transistors and other solid state devices. Prerequisite: EE 202L, Phys 152L.

 

Textbook:

Semiconductor Device Fundamentals, Pierret, Addison Wesley, 1996

 

Coordinator:

John O’Brien, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering

 

Topics:

1. Semiconductor Physics: bands in semiconductors, basic quantum mechanics, effective mass, doping, density of states, Fermi function, carrier concentration, drift, diffusion, absorption, recombination lifetime, device fabrication
2. pn junctions: electrostatics, depletion width, built-in potential, qualitative operation, ideal diode equation, Sah-Noyce-Shockley equation, high injection, avalanche breakdown, tunneling, AC analysis, Schottky barriers, heterojunctions
3. MOSFETs: MOS capacitor, DC characteristics of MOSFETs, transient properties
4. Bipolar Junction Transistors: qualitative description, Ebers-Moll model, deviations from ideal, small-signal equivalent circuits

 

Course Objectives:

To introduce the student to the physical models for semiconductor electronic devices and to the application of these models to the analysis and design of these devices.

 

Course Outcomes:

The student will be able to:
1. Understand and apply the physical laws relating to carrier statistics in semiconductors to analyze the density of states, the Fermi function, and the equilibrium distribution of carriers.
2. Understand and apply the physical laws relating to currents in semiconductors to analyze drift, diffusion, and recombination-generation processes.
3. Understand and apply the physical laws relating to a pn junction in thermodynamic equilibrium and its ideal DC current-voltage characteristics.
4. Design a pn junction in order to obtain a desired DC current-voltage characteristic.
5. Understand and identify the major deviations from ideal diode behavior that occur in pn junctions.
6. Understand and apply the physical laws to analyze the electrostatic properties of MOS capacitors.
7. Understand and apply the physical laws to analyze the DC characteristics of a MOSFET.
8. Understand and apply the small-signal equivalent circuit of a MOSFET to analyze the ac response.
9. Understand and apply the physical laws to analyze the DC characteristics of a BJT using the Ebers-Moll model.
10. Understand and apply the small-signal equivalent circuit of a BJT to analyze the ac response.

 

Laboratory Projects:

None