Nanoelectronics and Semiconductors

PHYS30752 Nanoelectronics and Semiconductors 10 Semester 2 Undergraduate Level 3 Ivan Vera Marun Unit coordinator Department of Physics & Astronomy 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Last part of a Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 5.0 This course unit delves into the fundamentals of semiconductor materials and devices, exploring both their theoretical underpinnings and practical applications. It begins by reviewing key concepts in solid-state physics, including band theory, carrier distributions, and electronic transport mechanisms such as diffusion and drift. The course also covers essential topics like carrier recombination, p-n junctions, and the behaviour of semiconductors under optical excitation. The understanding of these basic phenomena is then applied to the operation of common semiconductor devices such as solar cells and LEDs. As the course progresses, it dives deeper into advanced topics such as nanoscale electronic transport, including the Landauer-Büttiker formalism, which describes transport in ballistic conductors. It also covers the fabrication and characteristics of nanostructures like quantum wells, quantum dots, and carbon nanotubes. The course concludes with discussions on cutting-edge materials and their applications, such as 2D semiconductors and graphene, in the context of next-generation electronic devices. This comprehensive exploration equips students with a strong foundation in both semiconductor physics and the emerging technologies shaping modern electronics.  This course unit delves into the fundamentals of semiconductor materials and devices, exploring both their theoretical underpinnings and practical applications. It begins by reviewing key concepts in solid-state physics, including band theory, carrier distributions, and electronic transport mechanisms such as diffusion and drift. The course also covers essential topics like carrier recombination, p-n junctions, and the behaviour of semiconductors under optical excitation. The understanding of these basic phenomena is then applied to the operation of common semiconductor devices such as solar cells and LEDs. As the course progresses, it dives deeper into advanced topics such as nanoscale electronic transport, including the Landauer-Büttiker formalism, which describes transport in ballistic conductors. It also covers the fabrication and characteristics of nanostructures like quantum wells, quantum dots, and carbon nanotubes. The course concludes with discussions on cutting-edge materials and their applications, such as 2D semiconductors and graphene, in the context of next-generation electronic devices. This comprehensive exploration equips students with a strong foundation in both semiconductor physics and the emerging technologies shaping modern electronics.  To explore electronic transport processes, from bulk structures down to low dimensional ones, in relevant materials for nanoelectronics including semiconductors and van der Waals materials. To apply these ideas to practical devices including light-emitting diodes and nanoscale transistors with improved characteristics.  On the successful completion of the course, students will be able to:  ILO 1Explain the concept of conductance, from the familiar Ohm’s law of macroscopic diffusive conductors down to the quantized conductance of mesoscopic ballistic conductors.ILO 2Explain the processes of light emission, absorption, and transport in semiconductor materialsILO 3Outline the materials used in optoelectronic devices and advanced semiconductor growth techniques, including methods of material dopingILO 4Employ physical concepts to describe the behaviour of carriers which are confined in two, one and zero dimensional systems.ILO 5Explain the principles behind the realisation and application of electronic structures, including semiconductor (light-emitting) diodes and nanoscale transistors. This course unit delves into the fundamentals of semiconductor materials and devices, exploring both their theoretical underpinnings and practical applications. It begins by reviewing key concepts in solid-state physics, including band theory, carrier distributions, and electronic transport mechanisms such as diffusion and drift. The course also covers essential topics like carrier recombination, p-n junctions, and the behaviour of semiconductors under optical excitation. The understanding of these basic phenomena is then applied to the operation of common semiconductor devices such as solar cells and LEDs. As the course progresses, it dives deeper into advanced topics such as nanoscale electronic transport, including the Landauer-Büttiker formalism, which describes transport in ballistic conductors. It also covers the fabrication and characteristics of nanostructures like quantum wells, quantum dots, and carbon nanotubes. The course concludes with discussions on cutting-edge materials and their applications, such as 2D semiconductors and graphene, in the context of next-generation electronic devices. This comprehensive exploration equips students with a strong foundation in both semiconductor physics and the emerging technologies shaping modern electronics. Syllabus1. Review of relevant solid-state physics (2 hours)(Band theory, dispersion relation, density of states, effective mass) 2. Electronic structure of bulk semiconductors (2 hours)(Carrier distributions in intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors) 3. Carrier recombination and diffusion (2 hours)(Electron-hole pair generation and recombination, minority carrier injection, p-n junctions) 4. Carrier transport from the top-down (2 hours)(Diffusion and drift, conductivity, low-field magnetoresistance, diode equation) 5. Applications of p-n junctions and semiconductor structures (2 hours)(Rectification, photodiodes, solar cells and transistors) 6. Optically driven transitions in semiconductors (2 hours)(Absorption, emission, Fermi’s Golden Rule, excitons, LEDs, double heterostructures) 7. Semiconductor based lasers (2 hours)(Population inversion, condition for gain, gain spectrum) 8. Solid state lasing and semiconductor heterostructures (2 hours)(Solid state lasers, threshold current, semiconductor heterostructures) 9. Semiconductor material systems (2 hours)(III- V materials, epitaxial growth techniques, alloys, lattice matching) 10. Nanoscale structures I (2 hours)(Quantum wells, quantum dots, density of states in low dimensions) 11. Nanoscale structures II (2 hours)(Quantum wires, quantum of conductance, transport in carbon nanotubes) 12. Beyond Moore’s law (2 hours)(van der Waals systems, 2D semiconductors, high electron mobility transistors) Two one hour, live in-person lectures per week where the core material with examples will be delivered. The recordings of these lectures, as well as the corresponding presentation materials, will be on the course page. The lectures are accompanied by brief summary notes. This is augmented by sets of problems or online quizzes (where the students get automatic feedback) released every two weeks. A Piazza discussion forum is also provided where students can ask questions with answers provided by other students and the unit lead.  1 Written exam 100% PHYS30151 Condensed Matter Physics Pre-Requisite Compulsory <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;display:inline !important;float:none;font-family:"Aptos Narrow";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Pre-requisites:<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;display:inline !important;float:none;font-family:"Aptos Narrow";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Condensed Matter Physics PHYS30151 OR Fundamentals of Solid State Physics PHYS20252 (2025/26 only)<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;display:inline !important;float:none;font-family:"Aptos Narrow";font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Anti-requisites:<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;display:inline !important;float:none;font-family:Calibri;font-size:14.6667px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:pre-wrap;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">PHYS40712 Semiconductor Quantum Structures (2025/26 only) N Streetman, B & Banerjee S, Solid State Electronic Devices  Lectures 24 0 76