Course:

EE339 Solid-State Electronic Devices

(Fall 2018, M & W, 10:30-11:45 PM, ECJ 1.318, unique no.: 16495)

Instructor:

Leonard Franklin Register

Goals:

(1) Familiarization with the basic physics governing charge carriers in semiconductors, (2)
application of this knowledge to understanding the essential operating principles and behavior
of basic semiconductor devices, and (3) laying a foundation for understanding the essential
operating principles and behavior of semiconductor devices or device variations not covered
in this course but which may be encountered in the future, and/or for more detailed study of
semiconductor devices.

Course Text (required):

Ben G. Streetman & Sanjay Banerjee, Solid State Electronic Devices (7th Edition)

Class notes, other course materials and course web site:

Pdf versions of PowerPoint class notes, homework assignments and solutions, and general
announcements to the class will be provided through Canvas at canvas.utexas.edu.

Class notes are an aid to, not a substitute for, class lectures.

Note that many figures in the class notes are borrowed from the course text, from Theory of
Semiconductor Devices by Karl Hess, and from Physics of Semiconductors and Their
Heterostructures by Jasprit Singh, and the WWW, as indicated, as well as the web under fair
use rules.

Prerequisites:

M 427K (e.g., integral calculus, differential equations, Fourier series, vectors, vector calculus,
gradients), and PHY 303L & 103N (primary laws of motion, wave phenomena, electricity and
magnetism, optics) with a grade of at least C in each.

Instructor Offices and Contact Information:

Offices: EER 3.882, Main Campus & 2.606D MER, J. J. Pickle Research Campus (PRC)
Phone: PRC: 232-1868; EER: to be determined. But do not leave phone messages!
Email: [email protected]
(However, I will not try to explain course material via email.)

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Instructor Office Hours (tentative):

Monday, 1:30-2:30 PM and Wednesday, 12 noon-1:30 PM in EER 3.882. Also, by

appointment and, if not too busy, walk-in. (Note that typically I will be on main campus M &
W, and on the J. J. Pickle campus on T, Th & F)

Teaching Assistant (TA), Office Hours, and Office:

Nishant Nookala, office location, hours and contact information to be determined

Grading (Tentative):

10% times average homework grade (can collaborate on homework only).

+ 30% times first in-class (curved) exam grade
+ 30% times second in-class (curved) exam grade
+ 60% times final exam grade (comprehensive)
______________________________________
= 130%
– 30% times worst (curved) exam grade (first, second or final chosen automatically)
______________________________________
= 100%
No make-up exams except as required by university policy! No “extra-credit” work!

“Curved” explained: At the end of the semester, the numerical grades for each in-class exam
are linearly scaled toward (away from) 100 by the same factor for all students in such a way
that the class average grade for the each in-class exam matches that of the final examination.
In this way, what turns out to be a more difficult (easy) exam than typical is not over (under)
weighted in determining final grades.

Exam numerical vs. semester letter grades: A plus/minus grading system is used. Median
semester grades have been in the B to B+ range. Median exam grades fall―as near as I can
arrange it―near 70, however. Clearly, the A−/B+ cutoff does not correspond to 90, the B-/C+
cutoff to 80, etc.

You are not graded on attendance, but skipping class can be expected to be detrimental to your
performance on exams and homework that you will be graded on.

Class and exam preparation:

In class and on exams, I emphasize concepts and de-emphasize “plug-and-chug” computation.

I strongly recommend understanding over memorization. (On exams, at least the equations
from the inside of the front and back covers of the class text are provided.) Also, I strongly
recommend not getting behind! On any given day, if you don't understand what has been
covered, you are unlikely to understand what is being covered. To avoid getting behind, study,
of course. Ask questions in class. Use my office hours and/or those of the TA or arrange other
times to meet.

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Exam schedule (tentative!):

First exam: in the vicinity of Monday, October 22rd

Second exam: in the vicinity of Wednesday, December 5th
Final Exam: date, time and location to be determined

Formal Evaluation of Instructor:

Via approved MEC form near end of semester

Dropping Courses:1

An engineering student must have the Dean’s approval to add or drop a course after the fourth
day of class[es] of the semester or after the second class day of a summer term. Adds and
drops are not approved after the fourth class[es] day except for good cause. “Good cause” is
interpreted to be documented evidence of an extenuating nonacademic circumstance (such as
health or personal problems) that did not exist on or before the fourth class day. Applications
for approval to drop a course after the fourth class day should be made in the Office of Student
Affairs, Ernest Cockrell, Jr. Hall 2.200. (Few rules cause inattentive students more grief than
this one.)

Religious holidays:2

By UT Austin policy, if you must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project
in order to observe a religious holy day, you will be given an opportunity to complete the
missed work within a reasonable time after the absence, provide that you notify me of your
pending absence at least fourteen days prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day.

Academic Dishonesty: 3

Faculty in the ECE Department are committed to detecting and responding to all instances of
scholastic dishonesty and will pursue cases of scholastic dishonesty in accordance with
university policy. Scholastic dishonesty, in all its forms, is a blight on our entire academic
community. All parties in our community―faculty, staff, and students―are responsible for
creating an environment that educates outstanding engineers, and this goal entails excellence
in technical skills, self-giving citizenry, and ethical integrity. Industry wants engineers who
are competent and fully trustworthy, and both qualities must be developed day by day
throughout an entire lifetime. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating,
plagiarism, collusion, falsifying academic records, or any act designed to give an unfair
academic advantage to the student. The fact that you are in this class as an engineering student
is testament to your abilities. Penalties for scholastic dishonesty are severe and can include,
but are not limited to, a written reprimand, a zero on the assignment/exam, re-taking the exam
in question, an F in the course, or expulsion from the University. Don’t jeopardize your career
by an act of scholastic dishonesty.

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 Information about academic integrity and what constitutes scholastic dishonesty can be
found at the website for the UT Dean of Students Office and the General Information
Catalog, Section 11-802.

Class web sites and student privacy:1

Web-based, password-protected class sites are associated with all academic courses taught at
The University. Syllabi, handouts, assignments and other resources are types of information
that may be available within these sites. Site activities could include exchanging e-mail,
engaging in class discussions and chats, and exchanging files. In addition, electronic class
rosters will be a component of the sites. Students who do not want their names included in
these electronic class rosters must restrict their directory information in the Office of the
Registrar, Main Building, Room 1. For information on restricting directory information see:
http://www.utexas.edu/student/registrar/catalogs/gi04-05/app/appc09.html.

Students with disabilities:2

Students with disabilities may request appropriate academic accommodations from the
Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, Services for Students with Disabilities,
512-471-6259, http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/.

Mental Health Counseling

Counselors are available Monday-Friday 8am-5pm at the UT’s Counseling and Mental Health
Center (CMHC) on the 5th floor of the Student Services Building (SSB) in person and by
phone (512-471-3515). The 24/7 UT Crisis Line is 512-471-2255.

Behavior Concerns

“Are you worried about a student in your class, bothered that your roommate has been acting
differently, or concerned about the behavior of a co-worker? Do you have concerns but are not
sure what to do? If so, contact the Behavior Concerns Advice line at 512-232-5050 or submit
your concerns using the online form (https://utexas-
advocate.symplicity.com/care_report/index.php/pid311439?).”

“Cases that present an immediate threat to self, others, or property should be considered an
emergency and should be directed to The University of Texas Police Department (UTPD) by
calling 911.”

More information is available at https://www.utexas.edu/safety/bcal/.

Emergency preparedness:

See file “emergency_terms,pdf” on Canvas for this course in files/emergency preparedness.

Addresses the outdoor warning system siren, lockdown, shelter-in-place and evacuation. (If
you require assistance in evacuation, inform your instructor in writing during the first week of

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 class. This information must then be provided to the Fire Prevention Services office by fax
(512-232-2759), with "Attn. Mr. Roosevelt Easley" written in the subject line.)

If you have an emergency either on or off campus, call 911.

Campus Carry information

“The University of Texas at Austin is committed to providing a safe environment for students,
employees, university affiliates, and visitors, and to respecting the right of individuals who are
licensed to carry a handgun as permitted by Texas state law.” For more information, please
see: http://campuscarry.utexas.edu/students.

Outline (rough and subject to change):

Topic Reading assignment in Streetman and Banerjee

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Course Introduction

Topics for first exam

Semiconductors; crystal structure 1.1-1.2

Growth of semiconductor crystals 1.3-1.4
Lattice vibration in semiconductors 1.5
Quantum mechanics: introduction 2.1-2.2
Quantum mechanics: formalism 2.4
Atomic structure and periodic table 2.5
Energy bands and bonding in solids 3.1
Charge carriers in semiconductors: electrons and “holes” 3.2
Fermi statistics & carrier concentrations 3.3
Conductivity and mobility, and the drift equation 3.4.1-3.4.2
Temperature, high-field & Hall (magnetic field) effects 3.4.3-3.4.5
Optical absorption and luminescence 4.1-4.2
Recombination and generation of carriers & photoconductivity 4.3.1-4.3.2
Steady-state carrier generation and quasi-Fermi levels 4.3.3-4.3.4
Carrier diffusion and the diffusion equations 4.4-4.4.1
Drift-diffusion, built-in fields, the Einstein relations, and “voltage” 4.4.2, 4.4.6
Current Continuity, diffusion with recombination & diffusion length 4.4.3-4.4.4

Topics for second exam

Fabrication 5.1
Equilibrium conditions in p-n junctions 5.2
Current flow at a junction, qualitative description 5.3.1
Carrier injection & and the diode equation 5.3.2-5.3.3
Reverse breakdown 5.4
Transient & a-c conditions, and capacitance 5.5

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 Deviations from simple theory 5.6
Metal-semiconductor junctions 5.7
Heterojunctions 5.8
Transistor operation 6.1
Bipolar Junction transistor: fundamentals & amplification 7-7.2
Fabrication 7.3
Minority carrier distributions and terminal currents 7.4
Generalized biasing & switching 7.5-7.6
Non idealities 7.7
Frequency limitations and heterojunction BJTs 7.8-7.9
Field-effect transistors: survey of JFETs. MESFETs. & MOSFETs 6.2-6.4.1
MOSFETs: requirements for CMOS logic ~9.5.1
MOS Capacitors & threshold voltage 6.4.2-6.4.4
MOS capacitor C-V and I-V relations 6.4.5-6.4.7
MOSFETs: characteristics for long & short-channel devices 6.5.1-6.5.4
Control of threshold voltage and sub threshold characteristics 6.5.5-6.5.7
Solid state memory, flash memories 9.5.2

Additional topics for final exam

Introduction to optoelectronics with concentration on LASERs 8.1-8.4

End notes:
1
Material quoted and/or paraphrased from the Dean of Engineering’s Memorandum on Teaching
Responsibilities and the Handbook of Operating Procedures of the University of Texas at Austin.
2
Material quoted from Memorandum to all instructional faculty from David Laude, Senior Vice
Provost, August 5, 2013
3
Statement prepared by former UT Professor and Undergraduate Advisor, Archie Holmes