LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THE COURSE UNIT
The student is able to:
- explain the behavior of an electron in a potential well and a potential barrier,
- describe the basic nanostructures and their applications (quantum wells, wires, dots, a single light emitting diode, a single photon detector),
- describe the basic properties of atoms,
- describe the crystal structure of solids and explain the formation of energy bands,
- describe the drift and diffusion in solids,
- compute the mobility of charge carriers from the experimental data,
- compute the lifetime of minority carriers and the diffusion length of minority carriers from the experimental data,
- apply the continuity equation and Poisson's equation,
- describe the basic types of generation and recombination processes in semiconductors,
- describe the formation and properties of a PN junction,
- describe a LED and a solar cell.
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COURSE CURRICULUM
1) Basic concepts of quantum and atomic physics. Particles and waves, photoelectric effect, Compton effect, de Broglie waves.
2) Schrödinger equation, Heisenberg uncertainty principle, potential wells and barriers, energy quantization, electron traps.
3) Atoms. Hydrogen atom, Bohr theory of hydrogen atom, quantum numbers, some properties of atoms, Pauli exclusion principle, periodic table of elements.
4) Structure of solids. Electrical properties of solids, crystalline solids, crystalline bonds, crystal lattice, crystal systems, Miller indexes.
5) Crystal lattice defects, lattice vibrations, fonons.
6) Band theory of solids. Free electron, quantum mechanical theory of solids, formation of energy bands, effective mass.
7) Distribution function, density of states, charge carrier concentration, Fermi level, insulators, metals, semiconductors, intrinsic and doped semiconductors.
8) Transport phenomena in semiconductors. Thermal and drift movement, Boltzmann transport equation, electrical conductivity, Ohm's law in differential and integral form, mobility, relaxation time, scattering mechanisms.
9) Hall effect, thermoelectric effect, Peltier effect, influence of external fields on electrical conductivity, diffusion.
10) Semiconductor in non-equilibrium state. Minority carrier lifetime, continuity equation, ambipolar mobility, diffusion length, Poisson's equation.
11) Generation and recombination of carriers, recombination centers, traps, photoelectric properties.
12) Inhomogeneous semiconductor systems. Homogeneous and heterogeneous PN junctions, capacity, VA characteristic, PN junction breakdowns.
13) Semiconductor sources and detectors of radiation. Radiative and nonradiative recombination, mechanisms of radiation excitation, LED, solar cell.
AIMS
The objective is to provide students with knowledge of selected electrical and optical properties of solids, including examples of a wide range of interesting applications. Practical knowledge will be verified in the laboratory exercises.
