Course details (2024-25 Fall Semester)
In charge of the course: Dr. Attila Virosztek (virosztek.attila@ttk.bme.hu)
Department: BME Department of Physics
Code: BMETE11MF26
Type: An optional course of the BME TTK physics MSc studies
Requirements: 2/0/0/V/3
Language: English
Prerequisites: Fundamentals of solid state physics (BMETE11AF05)
Other expectations: A firm knowledge in electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, and solid state physics. Introductory knowledge into statistical physics is also expected.
Reading course: Registered students will be given access to the Teams group of the course, containing material to study on their own on a weekly basis. These include videos of the lectures and the corresponding power point presentations.
Consultations: Attila Virosztek will be available for consultation during the semester on 8-th of October, 5-th of November and 3-rd of December from 12 noon to 2 pm in his office (F3218). Those interested should send an e-mail by noon the day before.
Evaluation: Oral exam (can be optionally in Hungarian). On the spot, you can use only your own handwritten lecture notes, while preparing.
Learning aid: Those who has not learnt solid-state physics, this textbook is recommended: Steven H. Simon - The Oxford Solid State Basics and the related Podcasts: https://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/series/oxford-solid-state-basics
Study Materials:
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/team/19%3aTVUgQtt-S0BNdFAHo3OIy_xvVtIf-Yb2...
All students are requested to join the TEAMS
Exam thematics:
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Fundamentals of semiconductors, conductivity, structure, band structure, hybridization, basic notions (bands, gap, transition, doping, etc.).
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Charge carriers in intrinsic semiconductors, DOS, chemical potential, conductivity in intrinsic semiconductors, the Drude model and charge carrier mobility.
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Charge carriers in extrinsic semiconductors, energy structure and occupation of donor levels. Degenerate semiconductors. Conductivity of doped semiconductors.
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Band structure calculation methods in semiconductors. Distinguished points of the k-space, empty lattice, quasiclassical electron approximation, the tight-binding method.
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The k.p model and the envelope function aproximation. Relevance for doping.
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Transport processes in semiconductors. Length scales, wave-packet, the semiclassical approximation. The Boltzmann equation and the relaxation time approximation.
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Solution of the Boltzmann equation in a homogeneous electric field, correspondence to the Drude model. Mechanisms of the momentum relaxation, Matthiesen-rule. The Bloch-Grünneisen formula and its limiting cases.
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Magnetotransport in semiconductors, the classical Hall effect, magnetoresistance.
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Thermoelectric effects, reciprocal relations and coefficients, the Onsager relations, the Seebeck and Peltier effects, the Kelvin expression. The operation of the thermoelectric (Peltier) cooler.
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Diffusion effects in semiconductors, minority charge carriers, charge carrier concentration under non-equilibrium conditions and in inhomogeneous semiconductors. The charge carrier diffusion length.
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The p-n junction in biased and non-biased conditions. Rectification effect of diodes, the Schottky approximation and the Shockley law.
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Description of special diode types (avalanche breakdown, Zener effect and the Esaki diode). Application of the Esaki diode. The bipolar transistor and its operation. Analogue electron tube devices.
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Surface states, metal-semiconductor heterojunctions, the Schottky barrier. Operation of the Schottky diode. The inversion and accummulation layer.
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Fundamentals of JFET and MOSFET. CMOS based circuits, the CMOS NOT gate.
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Optical properties of semiconductors, the generalized dielectric function. Plasma oscillations, the AC conductivity, optical applications of semiconductors. The LED, laser diode and photovoltaic devices.
Link to the previos TEAMS:
2022-23:
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/team/19%3aW9gJK3650SUZcxKe8GqHTsEuJ2HP8afD...
2021-22:
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/team/19%3aJ88YberghbxckzjYuDDwdcFsZpy9q8NL...
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/team/19%3aW9gJK3650SUZcxKe8GqHTsEuJ2HP8afD...
