EE 442 (was EE 419) – Solid State Devices

Designation:

Senior/Grad-level technical elective for Electrical Engineering students

Catalog Data:

The physics of semiconductors as related to the characteristics and design of solid-state electronic devices. Prerequisites: EE 310 and E SC 314 or EE 397E/EE 340.

Prerequisites by topic:

1. Understanding of solid-state device physics at an introductory level (E SC 314 or EE 397E/EE 340).
2. Understanding of basic circuit uses of solid-state devices (EE 310).
3. Proficiency in the use of PSPICE.
4. Proficiency in a computer programming language.

Course Objectives:

This course provides a senior level introduction to solid-state device physics. Through lectures and out-of-class problem, design and computer assignments students are provided learning experiences that enable them to:

1. Understand the basic physics of electrons in solids and carriers and carrier transport in semiconductors.
2. Understand the physics and design elements of p-n junctions.
3. Understand the physics of and design elements of silicon MOSFETs.
4. Understand the physics and design elements of homojunction bipolar transistors.
5. Understand and utilize physics-based devices models (for example, PSPICE) for device and circuit analysis.

Topics:

1. Electrons in solids (4 lectures)
2. Carrier transport (4 lectures)
3. Recombination (2 lectures)
4. p-n junction I-V electrostatics (3 lectures)
5. p-n junction forward I-V (3 lectures)
6. p-n junction reverse I-V and breakdown (1 lecture)
7. p-n junction capacitance and small signal characteristics (2 lectures)
8. Schottky-barrier diodes and MESFETs (3 lectures)
9. MOS capacitors (3 lectures)
10. MOSFET DC characteristics (4 lectures)
11. MOSFET scaling (2 lectures)
12. MOSFET small signal characteristics (2 lectures)
13. MOSFET circuit models (2 lectures)
14. Homojuction bipolar transistor DC characteristics (5 lectures)
15. Homojuction bipolar transistor small signal characteristics (2 lectures)

Class/laboratory schedule:

Three 50-minute lectures per week.

Computer Usage:

1. Students write programs to calculate junction depletion and capacitance for a p-n junction with arbitrary doping and C-V behavior for an MOS capacitor.
2. Students learn to manipulate physics-based circuit element models and use PSPICE to examine and/or design p-n junction diodes, MOSFETs, and BJTs.

Contribution to meeting the professional component:

This course provides a design emphasis in the area of solid-state devices. It provides a senior-level introduction to device physics, an introduction to the physics dependence of devices for integrated circuits, a foundation for the use of device models in circuit analysis and design tools, and motivation for life-long learning.

Relationship to program outcome:

1. Graduates will have in-depth technical knowledge of solid-state device physics. [Ref: Outcome O.3.1.]
2. Graduates will have practical understanding of physics-based circuit element models. [Ref: Outcome O.3.2.]
3. Graduates will have an appreciation for the history and rate of change in semiconductor device technology and the need for continued learning. [Ref: Outcome O.4.2.]
4. Graduates will have attained computer proficiency. [Ref: Outcome O.1.3.]