ECE 30500 - Semiconductor Devices

Note:

The text contains computer-based exercises and homework problems utilizing MatLab. MatLab: Student Version is a supplemental text and software package recommended for purchase by all ECE students.

Course Details

Lecture Hours: 3 Credits: 3

Counts as:

  • EE Advanced Selective
  • CMPE Complementary Selective

Normally Offered:

Each Fall, Spring

Campus/Online:

On-campus only

Requisites:

(ECE 20002 or ECE 25500) and (PHYS 27200 or PHYS 24100 or PHYS 26100 or PHYS 25100) and (MA 26600 or MA 26200 or MA 36600)

Requisites by Topic:

Familiarity with the lead structure and basic electrical characteristics associated with normally encountered semiconductor devices (pn-junction diodes, BJTs, MOSFETs); elementary electrostatics; rudimentary differential equations.

Catalog Description:

Introduces and explains terminology, models, properties, and concepts associated with semiconductor devices. Provides detailed insight into the internal workings of the "building-block" device structures such as the pn-junction diode, Schottky diode, BJT, and MOSFET. Presents information about a wide variety of other devices including solar cells, LEDs, HBTs, and modern field-effect devices. Systematically develops the analytical tools needed to solve practical device problems.

Required Text(s):

  1. Semiconductor Device Fundamentals , R. F. Pierret , Prentice-Hall , 1996 , ISBN No. 978-0201543933

Recommended Text(s):

  1. MatLab: Student Version , Current Edition , The MathWorks, Inc

Learning Outcomes:

A student who successfully fulfills the course requirements will have demonstrated:
  1. an understanding of the semiconductor bonding and energy band models, of semiconductor carrier properties and statistics, and of carrier action. [1]
  2. an ability to apply standard device models to explain/calculate critical internal parameters and standard terminal characteristics of the pn-junction diode and the Schottky diode. [1]
  3. an ability to apply standard device models to explain/calculate critical internal parameters and standard terminal characteristics of the Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor field Effect Transistor and the Bipolar Junction Transistor. [1]

Lecture Outline:

Lectures Topic
1-16 SEMICONDUCTOR FUNDAMENTALS Course Introduction (1) Semiconductor materials and models (2) Carrier properties and statistics (4) Carrier action -- drift, diffusion and recombination-generation (6)
17-31 DIODES pn Junction diodes Fabrication (1) Electrostatics (2) Ideal I-V characteristics (2) Breakdown (1) Select deviations from the ideal (1) Reverse-bias junction capacitance (1) Schottky diodes (3) Optoelectronic diodes (1)
32-44 TRANSISTORS Bipolar junction transistors (5) Metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (5) Modern field-effect transistor structures (2)
( ) designates the number of lecture periods devoted to any particular topic. Remaining hours are used for examinations and problem solution discussions.

Assessment Method:

Exam 1 will assess outcome (i), exam 2 will access outcome (ii), and exam 3, given during finals week, will access outcome (iii).