Master degree in Materials Science

Solid state physics: opto-electrical properties, microfabrication and devices

Solid state physics: opto-electrical properties, microfabrication and devices

Academic year 2025/2026

Sommario del corso

• Course objectives
• Results of learning outcomes
• Program
• Course delivery
• Learning assessment methods
• Notes
• Class schedule
• Teaching tools
• Course card

Course objectives

The course aims at providing key enabling concepts in advanced solid state physics, with a specific focus on the electrical, magnetic, and optical properties of crystals, and on their applications in electronic, spintronic, and opto-electronic devices based on semiconductors. The range of covered devices will include diodes, transistors, light-emitting and laser diodes, and photo-detectors, magnetic tunnel junctions, single electron and single atom transistors, qubits. The course will also cover both well established and advanced techniques for materials characterization based on their interaction with electromagnetic radiation, as well as the characteristic features of low dimensionality systems in nanotechnologies. 

Results of learning outcomes

After the successful completion of the course, students will have enabling knowledge in the following fields:

• fundamental electrical/electronic properties of semiconductors
• fundamental dielectric and optical properties of crystals (optical reflectance, optical transitions, …);
• main techniques for materials characterization: electrical (IV, CV), magnetic (electron spin resonance), optical (Raman spectroscopy, Photoluminescence);
• physics and material-related issues of the most important classes of electronic devices;
• state-of-the-art and advanced microfabrication and lithographic techniques for integrated devices fabrication.

Program

The program of the course is structured as follows:

• Introduction. Direct and reciprocal lattices. Crystal structures.
• Energy bands in direct and indirect band-gap crystals and semiconductors, tight binding model, charge carries and effective mass. Bloch oscillations.
• Defects in semiconductors. Shallow levels and deep levels. Dopants.
• Density of states and statistics of charges in intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors (chemical potential)
• Optical properties of crystals, reflectance, optical transitions (absorption in direct and indirect semiconductors)
• Raman and Photoluminescece (J. Forneris 4h)
• Charge Transport. Boltzmann equation.
• Generation and recombination processes in semiconductors: the Shockley-Read & Hall theory
• Ideal and real pn junction
• Bipolar junction transistor
• MOS capacitors and MOSFET
• EOSFET for neuroelectronics
• Single electron and single atom transitors
• Spintronics: magnetic tunnel junctions
• Qubits (quantum dots, donors)
• Laser-based optical characterization techniques and applications (Raman effect for solid state materials, Photoluminescence) (Jacopo, 8h LAB + 2 introduction)
• Electrical Characterization (J. Forneris, 8h LAB + 2 Introduction)

Course delivery

The course is given in English language by two teachers (Prof. M. Fanciulli and Prof. J. Forneris). M. Fanciulli will cover the front lectures with the exception of Raman and Photoluminescence, and the laboratory which will be covered by J. Forneris.

The teaching will include a Laboratory class delivering hands-on experiments related to the contents of the course. The attendance to the Laboratory and to the introductive lectures is mandatory.

Learning assessment methods

The assessment will be based on a joint oral exam with the two teachers, in which the topics presented in the frontal lectures will discussed.

The students will be requested to produce a report on the Laboratory class, whose evaulation will be part of the final mark.

The final mark will be determined by the joint evaluation of the teachers.

Notes

The students with special needs and disabilities may find information on these web sites: link1, link2.

Class schedule

• Teaching material
• Exams and finals
• Class schedule
• Go to Moodle
• Register for the course
• Enrolled students
• Invia email agli studenti registrati
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