Duration
15h Th
Number of credits
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
English language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
This teaching unit is dedicated to the study of the properties of semiconductor materials. Using an experimental and physical approach of the phenomena involving these solid media, it aims at describing the transport and optical properties of semiconductors and various structures composed of those materials. Following a short review of basic properties of solids (electronic band structure), the course will deal with electrical properties (carrier mobility, transport phenomena, semiconducting junctions), optical properties (fundamental absorption edge, radiative transitions), defects in crystalline semiconductors (impurities, deep defects) and their impact on electrical transport. These topics will be treated from the viewpoint of experiment, supported by a few examples and the theory necessary to explain the studied phenomena will be presented. Students will be exposed to current topics in the field of semiconductor physics throughout the lectures.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
After receiving this learning, the student will have acquired a strong base in semiconductor physics, with a particular emphasis on the electrical transport and the optical properties of this class of materials. He will have received the information necessary to pursue advanced studies in the domain as well as some experimental competencies useful for the laboratory practice.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Concepts of solid state physics.
Introduction to quantum physics.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The course topics will be presented during oral sessions by the teacher.
Lab assignments : after getting familiar with the experimental setups, the student will have to perform the characterization of unknown samples and report the results of the investigation in a written document.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Lectures are delivered face-to-face. Material resources (slides, illustrations, videos) will be available on the eCampus platform.
Recommended or required readings
The course is based on the reference textbooks :
Solid state electronic devices, Ben G. Streetman & Sanjay Banerjee, Prentice Hall (ISBN 0-13-026101-7).
Fundamentals of Semiconductors, Physics and Materials Properties, P. Y. Yu and M. Cardona, 4th Edition, Springer (2010).
Course materials consists of slides to be downloaded from the e-campus platform.
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
oral exam
Written work / report
Additional information:
The lab assignment report is one part of the evaluation. The other part will consist in the analysis and the discussion of a selected journal paper. The student will be tested on the experimental techniques used in the paper.
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
Adaptations to the pandemic situation : if required by updated sanitary rules, the lectures would be organized remotely, as live sessions during the time slots of the regular schedule. In this case, they would also be recorded and podcasts distributed to all students. The lab session would be adapted and the weight of each activity in the evaluation adjusted.
Contacts
Ngoc Duy NGUYEN, Professor