Course

Unit 1

Introduction: Unit cell, Bravais lattices, crystal systems, crystal planes and Miller indices, symmetry elements. Defects and imperfections – point defects, line defects, surface defects and volume defects

Electrical conductivity: Classical free electron theory – assumptions, drift velocity, mobility and conductivity, drawbacks. quantum free electron theory – Fermi energy, Fermi factor, carrier concentration. Band theory of solids – origin of energy bands, effective mass, distinction between metals, insulators and semiconductors.

Unit 2

Theory of semiconductors: Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors, band structure of semiconductors, carrier concentration in intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors, electrical conductivity and conduction mechanism in semiconductors, Fermi level in intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors and its dependence on temperature and carrier concentration. Carrier generation – recombination, mobility, drift-diffusion current. Hall effect.

Theory of p-n junctions – diode and transistor:p-n junction under thermal equilibrium, forward bias, reverse bias, carrier density, current, electric field, barrier potential. V-I characteristics, junction capacitance and voltage breakdown.

Unit 3

Bipolar junction transistor, p-n-p and n-p-n transistors: principle and modes of operation, current relations. V-I characteristics. Fundamentals of MOSFET, JFET. Heterojunctions – quantum wells.

Semiconducting devices: Optical devices: optical absorption in a semiconductor, e–hole generation. Solar cells – p-n junction, conversion efficiency, heterojunction solar cells. Photo detectors – photo conductors, photodiode, p-i-n diode. Light emitting diode (LED) – generation of light, internal and external quantum efficiency.

Modern semiconducting devices: CCD – introduction to nano devices, fundamentals of tunneling devices, design considerations, physics of tunneling devices.

Textbook(s)

• C Kittel, “Introduction to Solid State Physics”, Wiley, 7^th Edn., 1995.
• D A Neamen, “Semiconductor Physics and Devices”, TMH, 3^rd Edn., 2007.

Reference(s)

• S M Sze, “Physics of Semiconductor Devices”, Wiley, 1996.
• P Bhattacharya, “Semiconductor Opto- Electronic Devices”, Prentice Hall, 1996.
• M K Achuthan & K N Bhat, “Fundamentals of Semiconductor Devices”, TMH, 2007.
• J Allison, “Electronic Engineering Materials and Devices”, TMH, 1990.

Evaluation Pattern

Course Outcomes

• CO1: Understand, comprehend and acquaint with the basics working principles and governing equations of electronic devices like diodes, Bipolar junction transistors, Mosfet and heterojunction transistors
• CO2: Analyze and Solve physics problems pertaining to various process like charge conduction across semiconductor device.
• CO3: Apply the knowledge for the development and design of new methods to determine semiconductor parameters and devices