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 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!