Course

Unit I

Introduction to solid state materials: crystal structure – Reciprocal lattice – Brillouin zone and rules for band (k – space) representation. Dynamics of electrons in periodic potential: Kronig – penny and nearly free electron models – Real methods for band structure calculations; Bandgaps in semiconductors – Holes and effective mass concept – Properties of conduction and valance bands.

Unit II

Carriers and doping: Fermi distribution and energy – Density of states – Valance and conduction band density of states – intrinsic carrier concentration – intrinsic Fermi level. Extrinsic semiconductors: n and p type doping – Densities of carriers in extrinsic semiconductors and their temperature dependence – extrinsic semiconductor Fermi energy level – Degenerate and non – degenerate semiconductors – Bandgap engineering

Unit III

Optical Transport: Electron – hole pair generation and recombination: band to band (direct and indirect band gap transitions) and intra band (impurity related) transitions, free – carrier & phonon transitions. Exactions: Origin, electronic levels and properties Radiative and nonradiative recombination (Shockley – Read – Hall and Auger) processes. Carrier transport – continuity equations. Optical constants: Kramers – Kronig relations.

Unit IV

Semiconductor as device: Processing of Semiconductor devices (Brief), p – n and Semiconductor junctions – Homo and hetero Junctions. Semiconductors Quantum structures, Density of states and excitons, Semiconductor photonic structures: 1D, 2D and 3D photonic crystals.

Course objective: Understanding the physics of semiconductors materials and to discuss their functionalities in modern electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Course outcome:

1. To apply the ideas of semiconductors and explain the concept of Brillouin zone
2. To explain the concept doping and to apply it to solve problems on fermi energy and DoS
3. To explain the concept of electron-hole pair generation
4. To apply the concept of semiconductors in constructing electronic devices

CO – PO Mapping

Reference books:

1. “The Physics of Semiconductors” by Kevin F Brennan, Cambridge Univ.Press (1999).
2. “Fundamentals of Semiconductors” by Peter Y Yu and Manuel Cardona,Springer(1996).
3. “Introduction to Solid State Physics” by Charles Kittel, 6 th Ed., Willey (1991).
4. “Semiconductor Physics and Devices” by D.A. Neamen, 3^rd,Tata McGraw-Hill,(2002).
5. “Semiconductor Optoelectronics (Physics and Technology)”, Jasprit Singh, McGrawhill,(1995).