The students deepen their knowledge of the lecture VU Halbleiterphysik (362.069) about the operating principle of microelectronic components. The theoretical part summarizes the most important properties of semiconductors, the basics of numerical component simulation and the functional principles of important components. In the exercise part, a device simulator developed at the Institute of Microelectronics is used, which can be controlled online via a Java web interface. This simulator allows to simulate general components according to defined specification of geometry and dopant distribution. Distributed quantities such as potential, carrier concentrations and strip edges can be displayed graphically. By varying the geometry and the doping, a deep understanding of the function of microelectronic components is acquired.
After a short introduction to the simulation environment, electrostatic problems such as line conductors and plate capacitors are considered. For these simple problems, the numerical solution is compared with the analytical solution. In the next step, the material properties of semiconductors like the temperature and field dependence of mobility, the charge carrier densities as a function of doping, the Shockley-Haynes experiment and drift in contrast to diffusion is investigated in silicon. Then the central element of microelectronics, the pn transition, is considered in detail. Examples are pn, p+n, pin and Schottky diodes, which are investigated in both static and dynamic operation (small signal vs. large signal). Transistors such as Bipolar Transistor, JFET and MOSFET are also thourougly discussed and simulated. Effects such as gain, temperature dependence, capacitance, early effect in comparison to channel width modulation, and nonlinearities can be investigated in detail as a function of e.g. doping.
The students deepen their acquired knowledge by means of exercises to be worked out independently. The basic structures are predefined with the help of simulation templates. After suitable selection of the geometric dimensions and the dopant distributions, the simulations are carried out and the results are documented. The individual examples of exercises as well as the simulation results are continuously discussed in the lecture part.
Preliminary discussion: during the first lecture on 9 March 2019
Time: Wednesday, 11:00-12:00
Location: Seminar room of the Institute of Microelectronics, CD 0520.
Registration in TISS is required for participation in the course.
