Understanding semiconductor devices

Prof. David Pulfrey
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

16 hours, 4 credits

May 27 - May 30, 2008

Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione: Elettronica, Informatica, Telecomunicazioni, via Caruso, meeting room, ground floor

Contacts: Prof. Giuseppe Iannaccone

Aims

The goal of this series of lectures is to provide an overview of the state-of-the-art in semiconductor devices of topical interest: solar cells, LEDs, and transistors. The following solar cells will be covered: crystalline Si, thin-film CIGS, III-V multi-junction. The prospects for viable, terrestrial, photovoltaic power generation will be discussed. High-brightness and white LEDS will be treated, and the prospects of LEDs reducing the planet’s energy expenditure on lighting will be discussed. The following transistors and areas of application will be discussed: Si MOSFETs at the 45nm node, III-V HBTs for high-frequency applications, III-V HEMTs for low-noise performance, carbon nanotube FETs.

Syllabus

• Absorption; solar-cell materials and structures (3 hours)
• Prospects for terrestrial photovoltaics (1 hour)
• Radiative recombination; high-brightness LEDs (3 hours)
• White LEDs and prospects for domestic lighting (1 hour)
• III-V HBTs for very high-frequency applications (2 hours)
• III-V HEMTs for low-noise applications (2 hours)
• Si MOSFETs at the 45nm node for digital applications (2 hours)
• Carbon nanotube FETs and their possible applications (2 hours)