FYS3280 – Semiconductor Components
Course description
Course content
Modern integrated circuits consist of semiconductor structures like transistors and diodes. Such components will be given a physical description. The students will be introduced to electronic and optical processes in semiconductors and will use this knowledge to describe electronic components like transistors, photodiodes, solar cells, and lasers. The students will make their own components in the laboratory for micro- and nanotechnology at the University of Oslo.
Learning outcome
After completing the course, you should be able to:
- explain the basic properties of semiconductor materials (bandgap, charge carriers, mobility, doping, Fermi level, conductivity, recombination, and luminescence), and analytically calculate the operational flow and diffusion flow.
- describe the behaviour of a diode and analytically calculate contact potential, depletion zone, electric field strength, charge carrier distributions, and current-voltage relationship.
- explain the behaviour of the field effect transistors and bipolar transistors, and use analytical models for these transistors to calculate the relationship between current and voltage.
- describe the optical processes in semiconductor materials and explain the behaviour of photodiodes like the photo detector and solar cell. In particular, you should be able to analyze a solar cell and calculate its electrical power.
- explain the difference between spontaneous and stimulated emission and how this can be used in light-emitting devices and laser. The student should also be able to describe the important material properties for LEDs and semiconductor lasers.
- practically make a Schottky diode on their own in the cleanroom, and with support from others also make a metal-oxide field-effect transistor. The student should be able to measure the electrical components and evaluate their performance.
- collect information on their own and evaluate new semiconductor materials and components with regard to photovoltaic and electronic applications.
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
Special admission requirements
In addition to fulfilling the Higher Education Entrance Qualification, applicants have to meet the following special admission requirements:
Mathematics R1 (or Mathematics S1 and S2) + R2
And in addition one of these:
Physics (1+2)
Chemistry (1+2)
Biology (1+2)
Information technology (1+2)
Geosciences (1+2)
Technology and theories of research (1+2)
The special admission requirements may also be covered by equivalent studies from Norwegian upper secondary school or by other equivalent studies (in Norwegian).
Formal prerequisite knowledge
The following courses must be taken earlier than the first mandatory laboratory in FYS3280:
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with FYS4280 – Semiconductor Components.
- 10 credits overlap with FYS2210 – Semiconductor Components (continued).
Teaching
The first lecture is mandatory. If you are unable to attend, the Department of Physics has to be informed no later than the same day (studieinfo@fys.uio.no), or else you will lose your place in the course.
The course extends over a full semester:
- 2 to 4 hours of lectures per week (34 hours in total)
- 5 hours of problem-solving (27 hours in total)
- 5 laboratory exercises of 4 hours each (mandatory attendance)
As the teaching involves laboratory and/or fieldwork, you should consider taking out separate travel and personal risk insurance. Read about your insurance cover as a student.
Examination
- Written midterm exam, which counts 20 % towards the final grade.
- Lab report, which counts 20 % towards the final grade. The lab report is to be based on the five compulsory lab exercises.
- Final oral exam, which counts 60 % towards the final grade.
You must pass both the midterm exam and hand in and pass the lab report before you can sit the final oral exam.
It will also be counted as one of the three attempts to sit the exam for this course, if you sit the exam for one of the following courses: FYS4280 – Semiconductor Components
Examination support material
Examination support material allowed on written midterm examination:
- Øgrim og Lian: "Størrelser og enheter i fysikk og teknikk"
- Rottman: "Matematisk formelsamling"
- Approved calculator
- Sheet of formulae that will be handed out at the exam
Language of examination
Subjects taught in English will only offer the exam paper in English.
You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are offered a postponed exam at the beginning of the next semester.
New examinations are offered at the beginning of the next semester for students who do not successfully complete the exam during the previous semester.
We do not offer a re-scheduled exam for students who withdraw during the exam.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.