Physics of Electronic Components

The course progressively presents the main physical phenomena that allow us to understand the functioning of electronic components and their use in electronic circuits. The first part introduces the physics of semiconductor materials and then deals with the characteristics of equilibrium materials in the second part. The third part presents the main phenomena of electronic transport. Finally, the fourth and fifth parts present the most important electronic components: diodes and transistors.

The aim of the course is to provide students with a basic understanding of the main characteristics and limitations of electronic components. 

By combining various concepts drawn from solid-state physics, quantum physics and semiconductor physics, students will be able to acquire the knowledge essential for understanding the operation of current and future electronic components.

Basics of classical physics

Recommended prerequisites* :

Basics of quantum physics

final exam + session 2

1. Semiconductor materials
2. Crystalline structures of solids
   1. Semiconductor types
   2. Crystal lattices
   3. Atomic bonding
   4. Blemishes and impurities
3. Energy bands
   1. Forming energy bands 
   2. Kronig-Penney model
   3. Energy-wave vector relationship 
4. Electrical conduction
   1. Energy bands and current
   2. Drift current
   3. Effective mass 
   4. Hole concept
   5. Metals, insulators and semiconductors
5. Density of states
   1. Mathematical derivation
   2. Extension to semiconductors 
6. Elements of statistical mechanics
   1. Statistical laws
   2. Fermi-Dirac function
   3. Fermi energy
7. Semiconductor at equilibrium
8. Load carriers
   1. Equilibrium distributions of electrons and holes 
   2. Intrinsic concentration
   3. Position of the intrinsic Fermi level
9. Dopants and energy levels
10. Extrinsic semiconductor
    1. Equilibrium distribution of electrons and holes
    2. Degenerate and non-degenerate semiconductors
    3. Donor and acceptor statistics
11. Load neutrality
12. Extrinsic Fermi level

• Electronic transport

1. Carrier drift
   1. Drift current density 
   2. Mobility
   3. Conductivity
   4. Saturation speed
2. Carrier distribution
   1. Diffusion current density 
   2. Total current density
3. Gradual distribution of impurities 
   1. Induced electric field
   2. Einstein relationship
4. Hall effect
5. Generation-Recombination 
6. Excess carriers
   1. Continuity equation
   2. Diffusion equation
7. Diodes
8. Diode pn
   1. Structure of the pn junction
   2. Equilibrium pn junction
   3. Reverse and forward polarized pn junction
   4. Current-voltage characteristic
9. Schottky diode
   1. Metal-semiconductor barrier 
   2. Current-voltage characteristic
   3. Ohmic metal-semiconductor contact
10. Heterojunctions
    1. Materials for heterojunctions 
    2. Energy band diagram
    3. Two-dimensional electron gas
11. Transistors
12. Field-effect transistor
    1. Operating principle
    2. Capacity-voltage characteristic
    3. Current-voltage characteristic
13. Bipolar transistor
    1. Operating principle
    2. Operating modes
    3. Current-voltage characteristic

CM: 33h