Course syllabus for Semiconductor materials physics

Basic course in solid state physics

The aim of the course is both to give a broad overview of the semiconductor materials field, and an understanding of the physics of semiconductor materials as well as the properties of different types of hetero- and quantum-structures. Also, the fabrication (synthetization) and characterization of semiconductors and quantum-structures, is treated.

- Know about semiconductor materials, important discoveries, and their impact on our society.

- Acquire basic information about electronic structures and classification of different materials such as metals, semimetals, graphene, semiconductors, insulators, topological Insulators.

- Describe how the electron energy dispersion affects the electron mass, mobility and electronic transport.

- Understand how the defects and dopants affect the electronic properties of semiconductors.

- Understand and interpret band diagrams of semiconductor heterostructures.

- Understand the principles of quantum mechanical effects in semiconductor nanostructures.

- Describe methods for single crystal growth and epitaxy of semiconductor materials.

- Information about the discovery and physics of 2D materials such as graphene, h-BN, MoS2, topological insulators and their heterostructures.

- Understand and describe the charge and spin polarized electronic transport in semiconductors and novel 2D materials.

Introduction: general course information, historical background, semiconductors today, future materials and novel phenomena.

Electron structure: Semiconductor crystal structure, electronic energy band structure, materials classification such as metals, semi-metals, graphene, semiconductors, insulators, topological insulators.

Electron transport: Charge transport in semiconductors, electronic effect of impurities, charge carrier scattering, diffusive and ballistic transport.

Semiconductor surfaces, interfaces and heterostructures: metal-semiconductor Schottky contacts, semiconductor-semiconductor junctions, semiconductor-insulator interfaces.

Semiconductor growth and nanofabrication technology and applications: Crystal growth, epitaxial growth, nanofabrication, electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Semiconductor quantum structures: Quantum-wells, -wires and -dots; Electronic and optical properties in quantum structures.

Quantum device physics in semiconductors: Coulomb blockade, quantum point contacts, weak localization, Aharonov-Bohm effect, Shubnikov de Haas oscillations and Quantum Hall effects.

Novel two-dimensional (2D) materials: Electronic and quantum properties of 2D materials such as - graphene, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), MoS2 and their heterostructures.

Spin polarized electron transport in semiconductors: Introduction to spintronics, spin scattering and relaxation processes in semiconductors, spin transport and dynamics in semiconductors.

Spin polarized electron transport in 2D materials heterostructures: Spin transport in graphene, spin polarized tunneling through h-BN, spin and valley polarization in MoS2.

Topological insulators: Electronic band structure of topological insulators, spin polarized current in topological insulators.

• Lectures.
• Three compulsory home assignments.
  
• Two compulsory lab exercises.
• One compulsory project assignment.
  

1. Semiconductor physics and devices, Donald Neamen
2. Spintronics: Fundamentals and applications
   Igor Zutić, Jaroslav Fabian, and S. Das Sarma
   Rev. Mod. Phys. 76, 323 (2004).
3. Lecture notes and literature on 2D materials, Topological insulators and Spintronics

Written exam. Grading according to: U (Fail), 3, 4, 5.