PX3242: Semiconductor Devices and Applications
School | Cardiff School of Physics & Astronomy |
Department Code | PHYSX |
Module Code | PX3242 |
External Subject Code | 100425 |
Number of Credits | 10 |
Level | L6 |
Language of Delivery | English |
Module Leader | PROFESSOR Oliver Williams |
Semester | Spring Semester |
Academic Year | 2014/5 |
Outline Description of Module
- To establish a framework for understanding of the physics of semiconducting materials.
- To develop a basic knowledge of the physics of typical semiconductor devices, as well as some of their practical applications.
On completion of the module a student should be able to
- Identify and explain semiconductor devices in everyday use.
- Explain and interpret the energy band structure of semiconductors.
- Relate the band structures of real semiconductors to their physical properties.
- Describe the types of charge carrier, their energies and their spatial distributions in semiconductors and semiconductor devices.
- Recall and use the key equations governing device physics and apply these to important systems.
- Describe the operating principles of several types of device.
- Describe the main processes used in material growth and device fabrication.
How the module will be delivered
Lectures 22 x 1 hr, Exercises.
Skills that will be practised and developed
Problem solving. Investigative skills. Mathematics. Analytical skills.
How the module will be assessed
Examination 80%. Coursework 20%. [Examination duration: 2 hours]
Assessment Breakdown
Type | % | Title | Duration(hrs) |
---|---|---|---|
Exam - Spring Semester | 80 | Semiconductor Devices And Applications | 2 |
Written Assessment | 20 | Semiconductor Devices And Applications | N/A |
Syllabus content
- Revision: Essential atomic physics.
- Electronic properties of semiconductors: Band structure, effective mass, densities of states of bulk material, quantum wells and quantum wires. Fermi distribution and Fermi level.
- Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors: Donor and acceptor impurities, energy band diagrams; generation and recombination.
- Transport properties: Drift and mobility; conductivity and resistivity; the Hall effect; diffusion; the continuity equation; minority carrier injection (steady state and transient).
- Semiconductor Manufacture: Fabrication of semiconductor wafers; epitaxial growth – MBE and MOVPE; methods of semiconductor device processing.
- Semiconductor devices: The P-N junction, metal-semiconductor contacts, photovoltaic solar cells, bipolar transistors, junction and MOS field effect transistors, heterojunctions, transistor amplifiers and switches, micro-electro-mechanical systems.
Essential Reading and Resource List
Please see Background Reading List for an indicative list.
Background Reading and Resource List
The Physics of Solids, R Turton (Oxford 2010)
Electronic Properties of Materials, L Solymar and D Walsh, (Oxford 1999)
Solid State Physics, 2nd Edition. P Hofmann (Wiley 2012)
Solid State Electronic Devices, B G Streetman and S Banerjee (Prentice Hall 2000)
Semiconductor Devices: Physics and Technology, 3rd edition, S M Sze (Wiley 2013)
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