ECE 535 Theory of Semiconductors and Semiconductor Physics

ECE 535 Theory of Semiconductors and Semiconductor Devices

Fall 2008
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Announcements:

Administrative:

Instructor:

Jean-Pierre Leburton
Office: Beckman Institute, Rm 3251
Phone: (217)333-6813
Email: jleburto@uiuc.edu
Office hours: 2:00-3:00pm Wednesdays

TA:

Mueen Nawaz
Office: Beckman Institute, Rm 3249
Phone: (217)244-1964
Email: nawaz@uiuc.edu. Please put ECE535 in the Subject line
Office hours: Thursday, 2:00-3:30pm. Location: On one of the bridges on the 3rd floor of Beckman. If I'm not there, check the office.

Course description:
Introductory quantum mechanics of semiconductors; energy bands; dynamics of Bloch electrons in static and high-frequency electric fields;
equilibrium statistics; scattering and transport theory, diffusion and drift; principles of p-n junctions, heterojunctions and transistors.

Prerequisite:
Senior level course in atomic physics or quantum mechanics.

Time: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 1:00-1:50pm

Place: 153 Mechanical Engineering Bldg

Credit: 4 credits

Course Policies:
Homeworks are usually assigned on Fridays and due on the next Friday. For late homework, please see Prof. Jean-Pierre Leburton in person.

Textbook: Karl Hess, Advanced Theory of Semiconductor Devices, IEEE Press 2000.

Course Notes:

Notes on Valence Band Dynamics. Figures are from Physical Properties of Semiconductors by Wolfe, Stillman and Holonyak.

Homework:

HW1 (pdf) HW1 Solution (pdf), due: Friday, 9/5/2008

HW2 (pdf) HW2 Solution (pdf), due: Friday, 9/12/2008

HW3 (pdf) HW3 Solution (pdf), due: Monday, 9/22/2008

HW4 (pdf) HW4 Solution (pdf), due: Friday, 9/26/2008

HW5 (pdf) HW5 Solution (pdf), due: Friday, 10/03/2008

HW6 (pdf) HW6 Solution due: Friday, 10/10/08

HW7 (pdf) HW7 Solution (pdf) due: Friday, 10/17/2008

HW8 (pdf) HW8 Solution (pdf), due: Friday, 10/24/2008

HW9 (pdf) HW9 Solution (pdf), due: Friday, 10/31/2008

HW10 (pdf) HW10 Solution (pdf), due: Friday, 11/07/2008

HW11 (pdf) HW11 Solution (pdf), due: Friday, 11/14/2008

HW12 (pdf) HW12 Solution (pdf), due: Friday, 11/21/2008

HW13 (pdf) HW13 Solution (pdf), due: Friday, 12/05/2008

Term Project:

Topics:

Carbon nanotube field effect transistors
Transport in Quantum Point Contacts
Transport in Quantum Wires
Ballistic transistors
Resonant Tunneling Diode
Coulomb blockade and eingle electron transitor
Electronic properties of graphene and potential for applications
Modulation doping and transport in a 2D electron gas
Si vs GaAs for electronic applications
Interband tunneling diodes and negative differential resistance
Bloch oscillations and their applications
Remote or interface phonons in field effect transistors

AUTHORSHIP: Collective work by 2 students.

Topic: A current and original research issue in semiconductor electronics relevant to or making use of topics discussed in class
The topic must be selected from the list above. Each group of 2 students must work on a different topic from other groups in the above list!

To be avoided: electronic or optical device fabrication and processing issues, materials issues, pure theoretical or mathematical issues such as quantum computing, etc

FORMAT: 3 pages APL style report, well balanced by a few equations illustrating the concept, a paragraph of introduction and motivations and a few figures describing the problem with results commented in the text. The report should be a synthesis of several papers on a specific subject with personal conclusions by the authors. It should have an abstract, and be clearly presented with clear and readable figures. A paper full of equations or copied from existing literature is prohibited; so is a wordy paper without equation or figures.

DEADLINE FOR PROJECT TITLE w/AUTHORS: 29th September

DEADLINE For Paper: Friday, Nov 21st, 2008.

Final Exam:

Friday, December 12th, 2008, 1:30-4:30pm in the usual classroom.

Topics covered: