Course syllabus for Microelectronics

The course syllabus contains changes
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Course syllabus adopted 2023-01-31 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameMikroelektronik
  • CodeMCC087
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerTKELT
  • Education cycleFirst-cycle
  • Main field of studyElectrical Engineering
  • DepartmentMICROTECHNOLOGY AND NANOSCIENCE
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language Swedish
  • Application code 50143
  • Maximum participants80
  • Block schedule
  • Open for exchange studentsNo
  • Only students with the course round in the programme overview.

Credit distribution

0122 Examination 4.5 c
Grading: TH		4.5 c
  • 29 Okt 2024 pm J
  • 08 Jan 2025 pm J
  • 29 Aug 2025 am J
0222 Project 3 c
Grading: UG		3 c

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for bachelor's level (first cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

The same as for the programme that owns the course.
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

Physics (FFY401/TIF380 and FFY143), Circuit Analysis (EMI083, EMI084), Electronics (ETI146) or Analog electronics (ETI147), Electromagnetism (EEM015) and Calculus in one variable (TMV136, TMV137)

Aim

The course is an introduction to physical understanding of semiconductor devices. The main purpose is twofold. By the completion of the course the student should be able to: i) independently use basic semiconductor physics to successfully address technical problems involving semiconductor devices , and ii) demonstrate the ability to make use of their knowledge of physics and electrical circuit theory to explain the electrical characteristics for various important semiconductor devices.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

  • Show sufficient familiarity with basic semiconductor concepts and relationships to identify their applicability for making reasonable inferences in simple, previously unfamiliar problems.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the physical working principles of the semiconductor devices studied during the course, their limitations and applicability.
  • Apply semiconductor device concepts to solve novel realistic problems obtaining quantitatively reasonable results using reference literature.
  • Use adequate arguments to motivate the choice of design for a basic semiconductor device with regards to functionality and fabrication.
  • Describe the main steps in the fabrication process of semiconductor devices and integrated circuits.
  • Conduct electrical measurements (with time restrictions in a measurement lab) on diodes and transistors and use the resulting data to extract model parameters.
  • Orally describe the procedure for determining manufacturing relevant parameters in diode and transistor models.
Basic concepts and relationships :
energy band diagrams, denisty of state, distribution functions, temperature, recombination, generation, doping, law of mass action, conductivity, mobility, drift , diffusion, Einstein's relationship, velocity saturation, depletion approximation, depletion capacitance, built-in voltage, ideal diode equation, avalanche and zenerbreakdown, threshold voltage, saturation, gradual channelapproximation, subthreshold current, channel length- and basewidth modulation, cut-off frequency
Semiconductor devices included:
thermistors
diodes (pn-junction diode, Schottky diode, LEDs and solar cells)
field effect transistors ( MOSFETs, HEMTs), bipolar transistors

Content

  • Basic semiconductor properties (repetition of expected knowledge from physics courses):
    • Intrinsic/extrinsic semiconductors, doping, impurities (donors / acceptors ); charge carriers: holes and electrons, majority and minority carriers; mobility, conductivity.
    • Band theory, Fermi-Dirac distribution function and the concept fermipotential.
    • The temperature dependence of mobility and carrier densities.
  • pn junction (repetition of the expected prior knowledge of electronics courses):
    • Ideal Diode , piecewise linear diode model ( contact potential and series resistance ).
    • Ideal diode equation, ideality factor.
  • pn junction (new material):
    • methods for extracting model parameters from measurements on the diodes,
    • contact potential, the balance between diffusion and drift currents,
    • band diagram, the law of the junction, low level injection of minority carriers, diffusion length,
    • depletion layer, breakdown mechanisms,
    • the diode as nonlinear capacitance, Gauss' law, parallel plate capacitor,
    • minority carrier storage and diode transient.
  • photodiodes:
    • LEDs and solar cells
  • MOSET (repetition of the expected prior knowledge from electronics courses):
    • MOS transistor voltage-controlled resistance and power source.
    • Piecewise linear model and Shockley quadratic power model.
    • Output and transfer characteristics.
  • MOSFET (new material):
    • Methods for the extraction of model parameters from measured data, "straight-line physics" least squares fit .
    • MOS capacitance, accumulation, depletion, and inversion. Gauss law
    • Connecting of series connected capacitors.
    • MOS transistor band diagram.
    • Sub-threshold region.
    • Channel length modulation, Early voltage .
    • Second order effects (non-compulsory):
      • velocity saturation,
      • mobility roll-off,
      • drain inducerad barrier lowering (DIBL),
      • body effect,
  • High electron mobility transistors (HEMT):
    • Fundamental function and structure. Heterostructure, Intrinsic channel.
  • Bipolar Transistor:
    • Fundamental function and structure.
    • Energy band diagram.
    • Current amplification.
    • Cut-off frequency.
  • Plotting charts and graphs in Matlab and/or Excel.
  • Emphasis on engineering skills and dimensional analysis in calculations.
  • Emerging Technologies.
  • Manufacturing technology for CMOS integrated circuits.

Organisation

The course is based on lectures, tutorials and project work. The project work is carried out in groups of two. The project consist on an early written assignment, followed by a laboratory assignment connected with two sub projects, one on a diode and one of a MOSFET. The diode and MOSFET projects are presented orally based on written hand-ins for completion. At the end of the course there is a written exam.
The first two weeks cover basic semiconductor properties as conductivity and fermi statistics in a traditional way. Measurements on diodes and transistors are conducted to collect data for the project. Study week three and four are devoted to the diode portion of the project, and during study week five and six the focus is on the MOSFET project part. Study week seven and eight deal with alternative diodes and transistors such as Schottky diodes, HEMTs and BJTs, and also give room for repetition.

Literature


Donald A. Neamen: Semiconductor Physics and Devices , McGraw-Hill (2012)



Examination including compulsory elements

The course consists of two modules that are examined separately. The final grade is the score on the exam. It will be possible to receive bonus points to the main exam by completing some extra tasks in the diode and MOSFET projects and presenting them orally in the feedback session. 
The project module will be graded as pass or fail and examined in three steps. All three sub-projects need to be passed in order to pass the project module. The first sub-project, thermistor assignment, will be examined on basis of the written report. The diode and the MOSFET projects will be graded during the oral feedback session the day after submission of each report.   
The written final exam consists of two parts. In the first part no aids are allowed. It consists of four sub-tasks that represent various fundamental aspects of the course. This first part must be adequately answered to pass, and for the rest of the exam to be assessed. The second part of the exam contains three problems. The course book is allowed in this second part.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.

The course syllabus contains changes

  • Changes to course rounds:
    • 2024-11-08: Block Block A+ added by Calle Ekdahl schema
      [Course round 1]