Physics and Technology of Semiconductor Devices

CATALOG DESCRIPTION:

Review of electronic structure and band structure of semiconductors; intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors; transport properties of semiconductors; semiconductor devices and their applications; defects in semiconductors; semiconductor characterization techniques: structural, electrical and optical techniques; Bulk semiconductor crystal growth : techniques, defects and properties; thin film growth : chemical and physical vapor processes; heteroepitaxy and defects; substrates and substrate engineering; device fabrication fundamentals: diffusion, ion implantation, metallization; lithography and etching. Recent advances in semiconductor nanostructures research will also be introduced.

COURSE PREREQUISITES:

Upper Division standing in Engineering, Physics, Chemistry or Chemical Engineering; E45 or equivalent required. MSE 111 or Physics 7C preferred.

TEXTBOOK(S) AND/OR OTHER REQUIRED MATERIAL:

• S. Mahajan and K.S. Harsha, Principles of Growth and Processing of Semiconductors
• S.K. Ghandhi, VLSI Fabrication Principles, Si and GaAs, 2nd edition (Wiley 1994).

OTHER MAIN REFERENCES:

• Semiconductor Processing: J.W. Mayer, S.S. Lau, Electronic Materials Science for Integrated Circuits in Si and GaAs(Macmillan 1990).
• S.A. Campbell, The Science and Engineering of Microelectronic Fabrication, (Oxford University Press 1996).
• F. Shimura, Semiconductor Silicon Crystal Technology (Academic Press 1989).
• R.C. Jaeger, Introduction to microelectronic fabrication (Addison-Wesley 1988).
• D. Colliver, Compound Semiconductor Technology, Artech House 1976).
• S.M. Sze, VLSI Technology, 2nd Ed. (McGraw Hill 1988), Semiconductor Device Physics: S.M. Sze, Physics of Semiconductor Devices, 2nd Ed. (J. Wiley 1981)
• A.S. Grove, Physics and Technology of Semiconductor Devices (J. Wiley 1967).

Specific references to individual chapters are given in the class and in hand-outs
All reference books will be in the Engineering library on reserve.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

• Provide an introduction into the operating principles of electronic and optical devices, the principles of semiconductor processing.
• Present the relevant materials science issues in semiconductor processing.
• Prepare students a) for work in semiconductor processing facilities and b) for graduate studies related to semiconductor processing and materials science topics.

OUTCOMES:

The successful student will learn:

• Understanding of the concept of bandgap in semiconductors, to distinguish direct and indirect bandgap semiconductors, and to relate the bandgap with the wavelength of optical absorption and emission.
• Understanding of free electron and hole doping of semiconductors to determine Fermi level position and calculate the free carrier concentrations at variable temperatures.
• Knowledge of the formation of p-n junction to explain the diode operation and draw its I-V characteristics.
• Basic understanding of quantum confinement in semiconductor nanostructures to explain and calculate the bandgap shift with size reduction.
• Understanding of the operation mechanism of solar cells, LEDs, lasers and FETs, so that can draw the band diagram to explain their I-V characteristics and functionalities.
• Ability to describe major growth techniques of bulk, thin film, and nanostructured semiconductors.
• Understanding of the effect of defects in semiconductors, so that can describe their electronic and optical behaviors, and the methods to eliminate and control them in semiconductors.
• Basic knowledge of doping, purification, oxidation, gettering, diffusion, implantation, metallization, lithography and etching in semiconductor processing.
• Understanding of the mechanisms of Hall Effect, transport, and C-V measurements, so that can calculate carrier concentration, mobility and conductivity given raw experimental data.
• Basic knowledge of x-ray diffraction, SEM and TEM, EDX, Auger, STM and AFM, how they work and what sample information they provide.
• Basic knowledge of photoluminescence, absorption and Raman scattering, can describe their mechanism and draw their spectrum.
• Basic knowledge of Rutherford Back Scattering and SIMS, how they work and when they are needed.