Course information 1

MICROWAVE ELECTRONIC AND OPTO-ELECTRONIC DEVICES 4

Course code 6DFX

GU Credits 20
ECTS Credits 10
Prerequisite course(s) Electronic Devices 3 (0GAW) or (Physics EE3 (3WEW).
Electronic Devices 4 (JDHX) is recommended.
Teaching staff (the first has Prof C R Stanley (telephone 4798, email C.Stanley)
overall responsibility)
Approximate size of class 20
Semester 2

Description of course

Aims
To develop an understanding of the operation of advanced microwave electronic and
optoelectronic devices in terms of material properties, electron transport, generation and
recombination, and device structure.
Objectives
Understanding
The physical principles underlying the operation of practical devices. Performance and
properties of compound semiconductors and devices; the effects of band structure and
reduced dimensionality on device properties. Operation of semiconductor optical sources.
Knowledge
Quantum mechanical effects, bound and free states, confinement, 2 dimensional electron gas;
scattering mechanisms; electronic structure and optical properties of semiconductors.
Skills
Solution of Schrödinger’s equation; interpretation of E(k) diagrams; design of semiconductor
materials and semiconductor structures for advanced device applications. Design of devices
with specified properties and performance.

1. Microwave Electronic and Opto-Electronic Devices 4

Syllabus
34 lectures and 6 tutorials
Part 1: Basic Principles
Origin of quantum mechanics: Schrödinger equation, observables as operators. Crystal
structure, k-space and the Brillouin zone; E-k diagram. Band structure of semiconductors,
insulators and metals; direct and indirect gap semiconductors. Densities of states, effective
mass and group velocity from band structure. Nearly free electron model. Comparison of the
E vs. k diagrams for Si and III-V semiconductors. Binary, ternary and quaternary III-V
semiconductor compounds; Vergard’s Law and lattice matching. Heterojunctions; Anderson
and Harrison models for band line-up, band diagram at a doped heterojunction.
Part 2: Electronic Devices
Single and multiple junction solar cells (photovoltaics); Voc, Isc conversion efficiency and fill
factor; designing for optimum conversion efficiency. Current through a heterojunction diode.

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Course information 2

Gain in bipolar transistors (BT) and heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT). Parameters
governing high frequency operating limits of BTs and HBTs. Modulation doping; the two-
dimensional electron gas; the high electron mobility transistor (HEMT).
Part 3: Optoelectronic Devices
Photodetectors: optical absorption; simple photoconductive detector; p-n diode; p-i-n diode;
avalanche photodiode. Spectral response; S/N ratio; sensitivity; noise and high frequency
performance.
Optical emission from a forward biased diode (light-emitting diode or LED); Quasi-Fermi
levels. Mechanisms of recombination: radiative and non-radiative. Rate equations; emission
spectrum; internal quantum efficiency. LED construction.
Laser Diodes: spontaneous and stimulated emission; population inversion; semiconductor
optical amplifiers; optical feedback; modes of a laser cavity; condition for threshold; current
density; transparency current; threshold current. Double heterostructure laser for improved
confinement of carriers and lower threshold currents. Quantum wells for wavelength “tuning”
and reduced drive currents. Factors influencing device design from infrared to blue lasers.

2. Modelling and Characterisation Laboratory

1 session of 3 hours
Syllabus
Modelling of semiconductor energy bandgaps.
Characterisation of semiconductor devices, such as LEDs, lasers, photodetectors.

Recommended books

Authors Title, edition Publisher Year ISBN Cost Code

Kwok K. Ng Complete Guide to Wiley 2002 0471202401 £58.95 C
Semiconductor Devices
J.H. Davies The Physics of low- Cambridge 1998 052148491X £30 C
Dimensional
Semiconductors
Yariv Quantum Electronics Wiley 1998 0471609978 £50 C
P Bhattacharya Semiconductor Opto- Prentice 1996 0134956567 £48.99 B
electronic Devices Hall
S M Sze Modern Semiconductor Wiley 1998 0471152374 £70.95 D
Device Physics
S M Sze High-speed Semi- Wiley 1990 0471623075 £92 D
conductor Devices
C M Wolfe, N Physical Properties of Prentice 1989 0136699952 £23.95 C
Holonyak and Semiconductors Hall
G E Stillman
Codes : A = compulsory; B = strongly recommended; C = recommended; D = wider reading
Comments
There is no single book that matches the scope of material covered by this course. Ng has
written what is in effect a “dictionary” of semiconductor devices. It is excellent as a quick
reference guide to how a wide variety of different devices work, but lacks detail which must
be extracted from more focussed books and review papers. Bhattacharya has produced a

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Course information 3

good all-round book, particularly for topics in optoelectronics, while Sze has written or edited
several worthy books on semiconductors and semiconductor devices. Wolfe et al. is good for
the more advanced “physics” of semiconductors.

Study times

Type Hours
Lectures and tutorials 40
Laboratory and assignment reports 20
Tutorial sheets 40
Review and consolidation of course material 70
Final revision and examination 30

These times are a rough estimate of the work required outside formal classes by a typical
student. There will be wide variations between individuals, but you will run a grave risk of
failure if you spend significantly less time on this course than these guidelines suggest.

Assessment

% Type Details
85 Degree Examination 3 hour paper: Section A compulsory; 4 longer questions in
total, 2 to be selected from each of Sections B and C.
15 Laboratory Laboratory report, course assignments
The degree examinations are held in weeks 13to 14; no resit is available.

Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering