Master degree in Materials Science

The student should be familiar with the following topics: quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, crystal structure, recyprocal lattice, phonons, electronic states (free electron gas, energy bands).

After having completed the course, the student will have skills in:

- Decribing the fundamental properties of semiconducting materials (carriers statistics, charge transport mechanisms, Shockley-Read-Hall theory).

- Describing the operation principles of electronic devices such as: diode, photovoltaic cell.

- Describing the fundamental properties of various classes of superconducting materials and their respective fields of application.

- Describing the operation principles of a Josephson junction and its possible applications.

- Evaluating and solving experimental issues in the electrical characterization of devices at low-temperature and in the characterization of photovoltaic devices.

After having completed the course, the student will have:

- Theoretical knowledge in the modeling of semiconducting and superconducting materials

- Theoretical knowledge in the modeling of electronic devices based on semiconducting and superconducting materials

- Experimental knowledge in the characterization of the above-mentioned materials and devices.

 REMOTE TEACHING: The objectives of the course are unchanged

Knowledge and understanding:

- understanding the basic concepts on the properties of semiconducting and superconducting materials and of related devices

- understanding of the functionalities of laboratory equipment and of relevant experimental techniques for the characterization of semiconducting and superconducting devices

Applying knowledge and understanding:

- ability to understand and manage fundamental physical models to interpret the functionalities of semiconducting and superconducting devices

- basic skill in organizing, analyzing, presenting and discussing experimental data.

 REMOTE TEACHING: The expected learning results of the course are unchanged

The course is organized in 6 credits (48 hours) of frontal lectures and 2 credits (20 hours) of laboratory activities.

The course is shared with the Solid State Physics course of the Master Degree in Material Science.

The course is organized in 2 parts:

- semicoductor materials and devices: 3 credits (frontal lectures) + 1 credit (laboratory);

- superconductor materials and devices: 3 credits (frontal lectures) + 1 credit (laboratory).

The course is given in English language.

 REMOTE TEACHING: In concurrence with the COVID-19 emergency situation, and in compliance with the relevant dispositions of the Ministry and of the University, the course is offered in remote teaching mode for the whole period in which in the University structures will be closed to public access. The remote teching will be delivered with streaming videos on Webex platform in concurrence of the dates and times of the original calendar of the course (compatibly with possible technical problems). Subsequently, the recorded videos will be downloadable from the moodle/e-learning page of the course.

The course evaluation is structured into 2 partial exams, relevant to the 2 parts of the course (semiconducting materials and devices, superconducting materials and devices).

Each partial exam consists in an oral exam in which the topics presented in the frontal lectures are discussed, as well as the laboratory reports.

The final mark for this exam results from a joint evaluation of the teachers, on the basis of the marks of the respective partial exams.

 REMOTE EXAMS: in concurrence with the COVID-19 emergency situation, and in compliance with the rectoral decree rep. 1097/2020 of 20/03/2020, the exams will be organized with the above-described modalities, by adopting the Webex tele-conference platform. In particular, following a consolidated procedure, each evaluation commission will be composed by at least two teachers, and at least one student will participate as witness.

Laboratory activities:

- Semiconductors: characterization oof a photovoltaic cell, characterization of a pn junction at room temperature and at variable temperature, characterization of optically active defects in wide-bandgap semiconductors

- Superconductors: measurement of the I-V characteristics of the YBCO or BSCCO superconductor, measurement of the mean free path and of the ionic radius for a normal metal

 ATTIVITÀ LABORATORIALI A DISTANZA: In concurrence with the COVID-19 emergency situation, and in compliance with the relevant dispositions of the Ministry and of the University, the laboratory parts of the course will be delivered in remote mode. The modalities of this alternative teaching offer are currently being developed by the teachers, who will promptly update the students as soon as they are ready for fruition.

Semiconductors:

- Tight binding model

- Carrier statistics in intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors

- Shockley-Read-Hall theory

- Charge transport mechanisms in semiconctors

- p-n junction: derivation of the diode law

- Physics of photovoltaic devices

Superconductors:

- Phenomenology of superconductivity:

• Experimental variables, themodynamics of the superconducting transition, type I and type II superconductivity
• Structure and dynamics of vortexes, pinning
• London equations

- Macroscopic quantum model:

• Quantization of the magnetic flux
• Josephson effect
• Operation principle of the SQUID.

- Different kinds of superconducting materials:

• Low, medium and high-Tc
• Synthesis techniques and applications

 REMOTE TEACHING: The program of the course is unchanged

• S. M. Sze, "Semiconductor Devices - Physics and Technology", John Wiley & Sons
• J. I. Pankove, "Optical Processes in Semiconductors", Dover
• Terry P. Orlando, Kevin A. Delin : "Foundations of Applied Superconductivity", Addison Wesley, Reading, Massachussets, 1991
• Charles P. Poole, Horacio A. Farach, Richard J. Creswick: Superconductivity, Academic Press, San Diego - London, 1995 
• Lecure notes and slides provided by the teachers.

Laboratory timesheet

exp1: characterization of PN junctions

exp2: characterization of photovoltaic cells

exp3: characterization of PN junction in temperature

Composition of lab groups

Exams prof. Olivero