Semiconductor Physics and Lasers (3 units). Compound semiconductors are widely used in photonic components and lasers. This course covers the basic principles of semiconductor physics including: introduction to quantum mechanics; compound semiconductors; direct and indirect bands; p-n junctions; heterojunctions, light absorption and emission; LED and semiconductor lasers. P: PHYS241, CR: MATH 254.

Course Outline

• Introduction to Semiconductor Optoelectronics
• Introduction to quantum mechanics
• Atoms and Solids, Pauli exclusion principle
• Metals, Insulators, and Semiconductors
• Conduction band, valance band, and energy gap
• Electrons and holes
• Various semiconductors: IV, III-V, II-VI
• Direct and indirect bandgaps
• Intrinsic, extrinsic, (P and N doping), electron-hole concentration, Fermi level
• Light absorption and emission (conservation of energy and momentum)
• P-N Junctions: equilibrium potential, space charge, current-voltage relation
• Heterojunctions
• Light emitting diodes
• Photodiodes
• Waveguides: Snell’s law, TIR
• Semiconductor lasers: population inversion, gain, amplification, lasing condition
• Fabry-Perot lasers, characteristics, threshold gain and current
• Multimode and single mode lasers
• Quantum well lasers