EE 228: Basic Physics for Solid State Electronics

Course Description

Solid state devices have driven widespread technological revolution and are ubiquitous in our daily lives. We study the physics of solid state materials, enabling a complete understanding from the atom to the device. Topics include: energy band theory of solids; heterostructures and low-dimensional structures for bandgap engineering; electrons, holes, densities of states and relation to absorption and gain; and semiconductor statistics determining equilibrium and non-equilibrium carrier distributions. We explain how these principles govern the operation of modern devices, including transistors, light-emitting diodes and solar cells. Prerequisite: course in modern physics.