Spring 2015,
Cornell University
Instructor
Prof.
Departments of ECE and MSE, Cornell
University
Office(s): Bard 326 (Phillips 415)
Class
Hours
MWF 3:35 pm – 4:25 pm, Phillips
407
Office hours: Wednesdays 4:30 –
6:00 pm
Course
Description
The course covers the fundamentals of solid state physics relevant to semiconductors, electronic
and photonic devices, and nanostructures.
The topics covered are:
·
Classical free-electron models of solids
·
Quantum mechanics of electrons in atoms to nanostructures to
bulk solids
·
Crystals, bandstructure of metals,
semiconductors, insulators [e.g. Si, graphene, 2D atomic
materials, nanotubes,…]
·
The effective mass theorem, semiconductor heterostructures: Designer quantum
wells, wires, dots
·
Electron statistics and dynamics in bands
·
Quantum/ballistic electron transport, conductance
quantization
·
Nanoelectronic device example:
The ballistic field-effect transistor
·
Phonons, scattering, Fermi’s golden rule, and the Boltzmann
transport equation
·
Electron-photon interaction, optical interband
and intraband processes
·
Nanophotonic device
example(s): LEDs, Lasers, Photovoltaics
·
Many-particle/collective effects in light-matter
interaction: plasmons and polaritons
Background
Basic knowledge of quantum mechanics
and statistical physics
Topics
[Handouts are required
reading materials, rest are supplementary]
1)
Electronic and photonic phenomena from the classical (Drude)
models of electrons in solids [Handout1
(handouts prepared by Prof. Rana)]
2)
Quantum theory of the electron gas [Handout2, supporting
slides, primer
notes]
3)
The free electron gas in 3D, 2D, and 1D [Handout 3, quantum
transport theory, quantized
conductance paper]
4)
Crystal lattices and the reciprocal lattice [Handout 4, Handout 5]
5)
Electrons in periodic potentials [Handout 6, perturbation
theory primer1, perturbation
theory primer2]
6)
DOS, Bands and Metals vs Semiconductors vs Insulators [Handout 7, Handout 8, Handout 9]
7)
Examples of Bandstructure Calculations (Si, Ge, GaAs, graphene,
etc) [Handout 10, Handout 11, Handout 12, Kronig-Penney & Green’s Functions]
8)
Symmetry, spin-orbit coupling, special properties of Bloch functions and bands
[Handout 13a,
Handout 13,
Handout 14]
9)
Effective mass theorem, Doping, Semiconductor Heterostructures
and Nanostructures [Handout 24, Handout 25, Handout 26, Handout 27, Kroemer Nobel Lecture]
10)
Electron dynamics and fundamentals of carrier transport [Handout 15, Handout 16, Handout 22, Handout 23, Handout 28, The
Ballistic FET]
11)
Fermi’s Golden Rule, Phonons and Photons [Fermi’s
golden rule, Handout
17, Handout
18, Handout
19, Handout
20, Handout
21]
12)
Electron-photon interactions, optical gain, LEDs and Lasers [Handout 29, Handout 30, Notes]
13)
Electron-phonon interactions, Cooper pairs, superconductivity and correlated
transport [Notes1,
Notes 2]
Course calendar
[planned]
Assignments
1 - pdf posted:
01/25/2015 due: 02/02/2015 solutions
2 - pdf posted:
02/02/2015 due: 02/09/2015 solutions
3 - pdf posted:
02/10/2015 due: 02/20/2015 solutions
4 - pdf posted:
02/27/2015 due: 03/09/2015 solutions
5 - pdf posted:
03/13/2015 due: 03/20/2015 solutions
6 - pdf posted:
03/22/2015 due: 04/09/2015 solutions
7 - pdf posted:
04/12/2015 due: 04/20/2015 solutions
8 - pdf posted:
04/24/2015 due: 05/01/2015 solutions
9 - pdf posted:
05/04/2015 due: 05/15/2015 solutions
Exams
Prelim 1 02/24/2015 questions solutions
Prelim 2 04/14/2015 questions solutions
Final
05/18/2015 questions solutions
Textbooks
The required reading will be the posted
handouts. No text is required, but you are strongly
encouraged to refer to the following texts:
-Ashcroft & Mermin
(Solid State Physics)
-Kittel
(Introduction to Solid State Physics)
-Davies (The Physics of Low Dimensional
Semiconductors)
-Herbert Kroemer
(Quantum Mechanics)
-Griffiths (Quantum Mechanics –
if you have not had quantum before)
Grading
35% Homeworks
40% 2x Prelim Exams (20% each)
25% Final Exam
Contact
Email: djena
at cornell dot edu if you have any questions