Physics of Electronic Components

The course provides a progressive introduction to the main physical phenomena that enable students to understand how electronic components work and how they are used in electronic circuits. The first part introduces the physics of semiconductor materials, followed by the second part, which deals with the characteristics of materials at equilibrium. The third part explains the main electronic transport phenomena. Finally, the fourth and fifth parts present the most important electronic components: diodes and transistors.

The objective of the course is to provide students with the fundamentals for understanding the main characteristics and limitations of electronic components. 

By combining different concepts from solid-state physics, quantum physics, and semiconductor physics, students will acquire the essential knowledge needed to understand how current and future electronic components work.

Fundamentals of classical physics

Recommended prerequisites:

Fundamentals of quantum physics

final exam + session 2

1. Semiconductor materials
2. Crystal structures of solids
   1. Types of semiconductors
   2. Crystal lattices
   3. Atomic bond
   4. Blemishes and impurities
3. Energy bands
   1. Formation of 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. State density
   1. Mathematical derivation
   2. Extension to semiconductors 
6. Elements of statistical mechanics
   1. Statistical laws
   2. Fermi-Dirac function
   3. Fermi energy
7. Equilibrium semiconductor
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 recipient statistics
11. Charge neutrality
12. Extrinsic Fermi level

• Electronic transport

1. Carrier drift
   1. Drift current density 
   2. Mobility
   3. Conductivity
   4. Saturation speed
2. Distribution of carriers
   1. Diffusion current density 
   2. Total current density
3. Gradual distribution of impurities 
   1. Induced electric field
   2. Einstein's relationship
4. Hall effect
5. Generation-Recombination 
6. Excess carriers
   1. Continuity equation
   2. Diffusion equation
7. Diodes
8. PN diode
   1. Structure of the pn junction
   2. Equilibrium pn junction
   3. Reverse and forward biased 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. Capacitance-voltage characteristic
    3. Current-voltage characteristic
13. Bipolar transistor
    1. Operating principle
    2. Operating modes
    3. Current-voltage characteristic

CM: 33 hours