Course Catalogue

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This course consolidates students' understanding of the electronic and transport properties of semiconductors, develops in students a detailed knowledge of the operating principles behind p-n junctions and MOS transistors, and introduces practical semiconductor devices / integrated circuits and the fabrication processes by which they are constructed.

This course will be timetabled in blocks, typically one week in four with on-line support available between each block.

Mandatory Entry Requirements

None

Recommended Entry Requirements

None

None

None

Assessment

Final Examination: 75%

Laboratory Sheets: 25%

Reassessment

In accordance with the University's Code of Assessment reassessments are normally set for all courses which do not contribute to the honours classifications. For non honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students, and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions are listed below in this box.

Due to the nature of the coursework and sequencing of courses, it is not possible to reassess the laboratory work or laboratory project work.

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Due to the nature of the coursework and sequencing of courses, it is not possible to reassess the coursework laboratory.

The initial grade on coursework laboratories will be used when calculating the resit grade.

The aims of this course are:

■ to establish the links between the crystal structure, the chemical composition and the electronic and transport properties of semiconductors like Si, Ge and GaAs, which govern the operation and the design of a broad range of electronics and optoelectronics devices including diodes, bipolar and MOS transistors, photodiodes and lasers;

■ to establish the links between the electronic properties of bulk semiconductors and the electrical behaviour of p-n junctions, MOS structures, Schottky barriers and Ohmic contacts as basic building blocks of almost all semiconductor devices including diodes, bipolar and MOS transistors, photodiodes and lasers;

■ to establish the links between the physical properties of p-n junctions and MOS structure used as building blocks of a MOS transistor and the electrical behaviour and the current voltage characteristics of the corresponding devices;

■ to provide an understanding of the technology processes and procedures involved in the fabrication of a semiconductor devices and planar integrated circuits.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

■ Describe and understand the principle of operation of important electronic devices such as pn-junction diodes, MOSFETS, BJTs, LEDs and Solar Cells.

■ Formulate device physics equations that determine the majority and minor carrier concentrations, conductivity, mobility, diffusion coefficient, diffusion length and current density of key electronic devices.

■ Sketch the current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics of key electronic devices using appropriate equations and physical approximations.

■ Design key electronic devices with a set of required properties.

■ Evaluate the changes in key electronic device properties (including band diagrams, I-V characteristics and equivalent circuit models) as the operating conditions are changed.

■ Draw the equivalent electrical circuit representation of key electronic devices.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment. In addition students must submit work for assessment for the course laboratory or a grade of credit withheld will be given.

Students must attend the timetabled laboratory classes.

Note that these are minimum requirements: good students will achieve far higher participation/submission rates. Any student who misses an assessment or a significant number of classes because of illness or other good cause should report this by completing a MyCampus absence report.