Catalog Description: Overview of electronic properties of semiconductors. Metal-semiconductor contacts, pn junctions, bipolar transistors, and MOS field-effect transistors. Properties that are significant to device operation for integrated circuits. Silicon device fabrication technology.

Units: 4

Prerequisites: EECS 16A AND EECS 16B.

Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for EL ENG 230A after completing EL ENG 130, EL ENG 230M, or EL ENG W230A. A deficient grade in EL ENG 230A may be removed by taking EL ENG W230A.

Formats:
Spring: 3.0 hours of lecture and 1.0 hours of discussion per week
Fall: 3.0 hours of lecture and 1.0 hours of discussion per week

Grading basis: letter

Final exam status: Written final exam conducted during the scheduled final exam period

---

Class Schedule (Fall 2024):
EE 130/230A – TuTh 15:30-16:59, Social Sciences Building 60 – Ali Javey

Class Schedule (Spring 2025):
EE 130/230A – TuTh 15:30-16:59, Wurster 102 – Ali Javey

Class homepage on inst.eecs

---

Department Notes:

Course objectives: This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the electronic properties of semiconductors, technology, the theories and practices of the most important electronic devices, and their impacts on the performance of integrated circuits. Lectures and homework exercises and design project emphasize the ability to formulate problems, problem solving skills and make device design tradeoffs.

Topics covered:

• Semiconductor electronics: Band picture, electrons, holes, effective mass, doping, density of states, electron statistics, Fermi level, mobility, diffusion, recombination, continuity equations
• Fabrication technologies: Introduction to lithography, doping, deposition and planarization technologies.
• PN Junction: Field, potential, charge distribution in step pn junctions, current-voltage relations, generation and recombination current, junction capacitance
• MOS Capacitors: Energy-band diagrams, flat-band, accumulation, depletion, inversion, threshold voltage, capacitance-voltage characteristics
• MOSFETs: Current-voltage characteristics, velocity saturation, CMOS speed and power, MOS technology, leakage current, Vt roll-off and drain-induced barrier lowering, scaling limits, alternative technologies, computer simulations
• Metal-Semiconductor Contact: Schottky diode, current-voltage characteristics, ohmic contacts
• Bipolar Transistors: Structure and operation, emitter efficiency, current gain, static characteristics, charge-control model, cut-off frequency

Related Areas:

• Physical Electronics (PHY)