ECE 4070 / MSE 6050: Physics of Semiconductors and Nanostructures

Spring 2020, Cornell University

 

Instructor

Instructor: Prof. Debdeep Jena (web)

Departments of ECE and MSE, Cornell University

Office: Phillips Hall 424 or Bard 228

 

Teaching Assistant

TBD

 

Class Hours

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 11:15 am – 12:05 pm @ Thurston 205

Office hours: TBD

 

Prerequisites

ECE 4060 or a course in basic quantum mechanics.  Assumes exposure to basic quantum mechanics and statistical physics.

 

Course Contents [Cornell roster information]

Covers basic solid state and semiconductor physics relevant for understanding electronic and optical devices. Topics include crystalline structures, bonding in atoms and solids, energy bands in solids, electron statistics and dynamics in energy bands, effective mass equation, carrier transport in solids, Boltzmann transport equation, semiconductor homo- and hetero-junctions, optical processes in semiconductors, electronic and optical properties of semiconductor nanostructures, semiconductor quantum wells, wires, and dots, electron transport in reduced dimensions, semiconductor lasers and optoelectronics, high-frequency response of electrons in solids and plasmons.

 

Outcomes

+ Learn basic principles of solid state and semiconductor physics needed to understand modern electronic and photonic devices.

+ Learn how engineering materials and structures at the nanoscale enables novel electronic and photonic properties for a wide variety of engineering applications.

+ Learn the relationship between basic science and engineering applications.

 

Links and resources

Course Piazza Link [Go to Piazza for Lecture Notes, Assignments, Handouts, Slides, Mathematica Files, etc.]

Course info sheet

Course Calendar

Past Lecture Videos

 

The periodic table

The Fermi Surface Database

The Semiconductor Properties Database

Online Reading on Semiconductors: Materials, Industry

 

Topics:

0) Course Information [History of Semiconductors]

1) Classical free-electron models of solids

2) Quantum mechanics of electrons in atoms to nanostructures to bulk solids

3) Crystals, bandstructure of metals, semiconductors, insulators [e.g. Si, graphene, 2D atomic materials, nanotubes…]

4) Electron statistics, Doping and dynamics in bands

5) Quantum/ballistic electron transport, conductance quantization

6) The effective mass theorem, semiconductor heterostructures: Designer quantum wells, wires, dots

7) Nanoelectronic device example: The ballistic field-effect transistor

8) Tunneling, The Boltzmann transport equation, Phonons, Scattering, and Fermi’s golden rule

9) Electron-photon interaction, optical interband and intraband processes

10) Nanophotonic device example(s): LEDs, Lasers, Photovoltaics

 

Assignments

10 assignments, roughly 1/week.          

 

Exams and Grades

Other than the assignments, there will be two written evening prelim exams, and a written final exam. Here is the approximate breakup of scores that will go towards your final grade:

50% Assignments

10% Prelim 1 [2020 March 5, Thursday 7:30-9:00 pm, Thurston 205]

15% Prelim 2 [2020 April 14, Tuesday 7:30-9:00 pm, Phillips 219]

25% Final [2020 May 11, Monday 2:00-4:30 pm, TBD]

 

Demonstrations and Laboratories

A few demonstrations will be performed in the course. Some course assignments may include laboratory components.

 

Textbooks

The main text for the course will be:

Quantum Physics of Semiconductor Materials and Devices: Lecture Notes by the Instructor.

 

You are encouraged to refer to the following texts:

-Ashcroft and Mermin (Solid State Physics)

-Kittel (Introduction to Solid State Physics)

-Davies (The Physics of Low Dimensional Semiconductors)

-Kroemer (Quantum Mechanics)

-Griffiths (Quantum Mechanics, if you have not had quantum before)

 

Academic Integrity:
Students are expected to abide by the Cornell University Code of Academic Integrity with work submitted for credit representing the student’s own work. Discussion and collaboration on homework and laboratory assignments is permitted and encouraged, but final work should represent the student’s own understanding. Specific examples of this policy implementation will be distributed in class. Course materials posted on Black- board or Piazza are intellectual property belonging to the author. Students are not permitted to buy or sell any course materials without the express permission of the instructor. Such unauthorized behavior will constitute academic misconduct. Please read Cornell’s policy on cheating here: Link. Let’s approach the course in the spirit of adventure & enjoy discovering the secrets of semiconductor materials that power our world today!