84542 - Semiconductor Materials and Nanostructures

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will learn the basic aspects of the physics of semiconducting materials, devices and interfaces, by studying in particular their transport and optical properties. He/she will be introduced also to quantum confinement effects in low dimensional systems and their application to optoelectronic and electronic devices.

Course contents

• Semiconductor Physics. Elements of crystal structures, band structure and electronic levels of semiconductors. Ideal and Real crystals (role of defects, surfaces and interfaces). Intrinsic and dioed semiconsuctors. Transport properties, effective mass, current density, conductivity, generation- recombination mechanisms. Shockley Read Hall model. Optical properties of semiconductors.
• Surface and interface effects. The P-N junction. Schottky model of metal-semiconductor devices. Metal Oxide Semiconductor structure and band diagram, MOS in strong inversion condition, introduction to quantum confinement effects.
• Quantum confinement in 2, 1 and 0 dimensions: Band gap engineering. quantum wells, wires and dots. Electrical and optical properties of low dimensional semiconductors. Growth and deposition of semiconductor nanostructures: methods and mechanisms. Quantum confinement effects in different confinement potentials. Rectangular potential wells and barriers. Influence on the optical properties. Investigation of semiconductor nanostructures by electrical, optical and microscopical methods.
• Applications of semiconductor nanostructures. Optoelectronic devices.
  
• Organic-Hybrid Electronics: Historical Remarks and Overview – The Molecular Orbital Theory (MO-LCAO) - Charge carrier generation and transport – Purification, growth and deposition methods – Impurities, defects and trap states.
• Applications of organic-hybrid semiconductors: Field Effect Transistors, Light emitting devices, Solar Cells, Photodetectors, Organic bioelectronics

Readings/Bibliography

Donald Neamen "Semiconductor Physics And Devices", McGraw-Hill Education, 2003

Grundmann M. The Physics of Semiconductors, Springer

M. Pope and C. E. Swenberg, “Electronic processes in organic crystals and polymers”, Oxford University Press, 1999.

W. Brütting, “Physics of Organic Semiconductors”, Wiley -VCH, 2008

M. Scwoerer, H. C. Wolf, “Organic Molecular Solids”, Wiley -VCH, 2007

Teaching methods

• Lectures;
• Group Discussion on Selected Topics;
• An educational trip is organized annually to research centers or companies relevant to the topics covered in the course.

Assessment methods

The assessment of the achievement of the learning outcomes is based on the following steps:

• 5 min oral talk: slides focused on one of the topics of the course where a recent literature research will be also presented.
• Oral exam: the assessment of the course learning outcomes will start from the topics of the student's report and will cover the main issues of the course.
  

FINAL SCORE: The final score depends on the capability of the student in the presentation and/or critical analyses of the topics of the course. Expressed in /30. The exam is passed with a grade ≥ 18/30.

Students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) or temporary/permanent disabilities are advised to contact the University Office responsible in a timely manner (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en). The office will be responsible for proposing any necessary accommodations to the students concerned. These accommodations must be submitted to the instructor for approval at least 15 days in advance, and will be evaluated in light of the learning objectives of the course.

Teaching tools

PC, projector, blackboard

Office hours

See the website of Laura Basiricò