Semiconductor Physics and Devices

This lecture course focuses on some of the most important materials and devices used in electrical engineering: semiconductors and semiconductor devices. Semiconductor devices play a pivotal role in electrical engineering: from light-emitting diodes to solar cells, from transistors to computer chips. This lecture course introduces quantum mechanics and solid-state physics in order to understand the material properties of semiconductors and hence to delve into the physics of the operation of semiconductor devices.

Elements of quantum mechanics will be presented to explain the wave properties of electrons and the discrete nature of energy levels. This understanding will then be used to develop the solid-state-physics for semiconductors, in particular the band structure of common semiconductors, the density of states, and the concepts underlying the transport of charge carriers in these materials. Attention will be paid also to the manipulation of semiconductor properties by extrinsic doping.

Using the essential knowledge on solid-state physics for semiconductors, attention will be focused on semiconductor devices. First the movement of charge carriers in doped semiconductors under the influence of generation, recombination, drift, and diffusion will be discussed. This knowledge will be applied to p-n junctions, which will provide the basis for a discussion on solar cells and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), as well as a brief discussion on the bipolar junction transistor (BJT). In addition, the combination of semiconductors with insulators and metals will be discussed, leading to the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) that forms the basis of the microelectronics industry today.

The final grade of the course consists of the following components: participation in instruction sessions and written examination.

 The final mark for this course will be based on participation in the instruction session, which will be assessed by pass/fail, and on a written examination that is expressed on a scale of 0 to 10. The final mark will be expressed on a scale of 0 to 10, rounded to halves, provided a pass has been obtained for participation in the instruction sessions.

 For participation in the instruction sessions:

• The student needs to prepare for each instruction session one assignment that is assigned to the student randomly and upload the solution.

• The student needs to prepare for each instruction session one assignment chosen by the student and upload the solution.

• At the instruction session students will be asked randomly to present their solution. The solution will be assessed on reasonable effort, not on correctness.

• The student needs to upload solutions for at least 7 instruction sessions.

 Repair possibilities:

• The 8^th and last instruction session is a repair option for participation in the instruction sessions. In order to be able to use this repair option, the student should have uploaded the solutions for at least 6 instruction sessions.

• Provided a pass has been obtained for participation in the instruction sessions, a resit exam is offered.

Disclaimer: information may change depending on unforeseen circumstances or measures (see: TER Art 29, sub 4).

In case of insufficient results a repair option may exist in accordance with Article 2, Examination requirements, Clause 5, of the Implementation Regulations 2025-2026.