ECE 235: Introduction to Solid State Electronics

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ECE 235 - Introduction to Solid State Electronics

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ECE 235 Introduction to Solid State Electronics, Fall09 (1) Sections: 301, 001

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ECE 235 Intro-Solid State Electronics, Spring09 (1) Sections: 301, 001

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Catalog Description

235 Introduction to Solid State Electronics. Cross-listed with Physics. I, II; 3 cr. An introduction to the physical principles underlying solid-state electronic and photonic devices, including elements of quantum mechanics, crystal structure, semiconductor band theory, carrier statistics, and band diagrams. Offers examples of modern semiconductor structures. P: Mathematics 222 and Physics 202. Open to freshmen.

Course Prerequisite(s)

See catalog description above.

Textbook(s) and/or other required material

NOTE: THIS COURSE IS TAUGHT BY ECE IN THE FALL SEMESTER, AND BY THE PHYSICS DEPARTMENT IN THE SPRING.

Required:

Modern Physics, by P. A Tipler and R. A. Llewellyn, 5th edition (Freeman, 2008).

Supplementary Reading:

Introduction to Nanoelectronics, by V. V. Mitin, V. A. Kochelap, and M. A. Stroscio (Cambridge, 2008).

Semiconductor fundamentals, by R. F. Pierret (Addison-Wesley, Modular Series on Solid State Devices, 1990).

Electronic materials and devices, by D. K. Ferry and J. P. Bird (Academic Press, 2001).

Quantum mechanics - an introduction for device physicists and electrical engineers, by D. K. Ferry (Taylor and Francis, 2001).

Primer of quantum mechanics, by M. Chester (Dover, 1987).

Course objectives

The primary two objectives of this course are (1) to gain an understanding of the underlying principles of operation of solid state electronic and photonic devices, and (2) to become proficient in using the device physics terminology and band diagrams. Additional benefits offered by this course are an early exposure to the exciting world of semiconductor nanostructures and hands-on experience with the numerical solution of differential equations using MATLAB, by working on the example of the Schrödinger equation for various systems.

Topics covered

Particles as waves: electron and neutron diffraction experiments, etc.
Wavefunction description of a quantum particle; Heisenberg uncertainty principle
Probability
Schrödinger equation
Time-independent Schrödinger equation; stationary states
Free particle; infinite square well (1D-3D)
Numerical (finite-difference) solution of the time-independent Schrödinger equation
Potential barriers
Harmonic oscillator; quantum LC circuit
Semiconductor crystal structure; Miller indices for cubic crystals
Photonic analogues: photonic crystals
Bonds to bands; Electronic band structure and materials classification
Effective mass, density of states
Carrier statistics: Fermi-Dirac and Maxwell-Boltzmann
Band diagrams for device considerations
Semiconductor quantum wells (square and triangular)
Bound and continuum states; density of states
Examples of carriers in semiconductor quantum wells: quantum well lasers, 2DEG in HEMTs and MOSFETs
Resonant-tunneling diode (RTD)
Quantum cascade lasers
Quantum wire and quantum dot semiconductor structures (quantum wire transistors, SET, quantum dot lasers)

Class/laboratory schedule

Fall 2009: Three 50-min lectures and one 75 min discussion section.

Assessment of student progress toward course objectives

Student progress toward the course objectives will be determined based on homework assignments, in-class midterms and a final.

Person(s) who prepared this description

Irena Knezevic

Copyright 2009 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
Date last modified: 12-Sep-2009
Content by: ece@engr.wisc.edu
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