OPTI 561

8/06

OPTI 561. Physics of Semiconductors (3) II. (Identical with Phys. 561.) Elementary excitations in solids, electrons and holes, excitons, biexcitons, interaction of light with semiconductors, bandstructure,  high excitation phenomena, linear and nonlinear optical response, many- body effects in a Coulomb system. P, Opti 507 or 548 and Phys. 460, 570a,b (strongly recommended, but basic knowledge of quantum mechanics required).

Course Description:

This course addresses basic properties of crystalline solids.  The chief focus is on those properties which are relevant for the understanding of current topics in nonlinear semiconductor optics.  However, the importance of these concepts, which include various kinds of elementary excitation such as plasmons, excitons, and phonons, is not restricted to semiconductor optics.  Certain traditional aspects of solid state physics, like the theory of superconductivity, are not part of this course.  A central topic of the course will be the linear and nonlinear optical response of semiconductors.

A major portion of the course will be based on the application of advanced quantum mechanical concepts (second quantization and commutator algebra) to the physics of semiconductors.  However, very advanced concepts such as the nonequilibrium Green’s function formalism are not part of this course.

Course Outline (50-minute lectures):

1.  Basic concepts in solid state physics (crystal structure, electronic   
     bandstructure, tight-binding approach, k · p theory and Luttinger Hamiltonian.)

2. Introduction to many-particle theory (second quantization, commutator algebra,
    equations of motion in the Heisenberg picture.)

3. Ideal quantum gases (distribution functions.)

4. The interacting electron gas (jellium model, Hartree-Fock factorization, ground
    state properties, exchange interaction, pair-correlation functions.)

5. Review of the basic concepts of linear optical response (classical oscillator and
    two-level systems).

6. Linear and nonlinear optical response of semiconductors linear optical bandedge
    spectra including excitonic effects, absorption and gain, (Pauli blocking,
    semiconductor Bloch equations).

7.  Semiconductor quantum wells (envelope function approach, k · p theory and
    Luttinger Hamiltonian for quantum wells.)

8.  Screening and plasmons.

9. Possible additional topics (time permitting): phenomenological treatment of
    scattering and relaxation, electron-electron scattering, phonons.

Homework:

• Weekly homework assignments with a few problems.  Some of the problems will be designed to complete intermediate steps of derivations presented in class.

Exams:

• Closed book one-hour in-class MIDTERM EXAM.
• Closed book two-hour in-class FINAL EXAM.

Grades:

• The grades will be based 30% on homework, 25% on the midterm, and 45% on the final exam.

Literature:

• H. Haug and S.W. Koch, Quantum Theory of the Optical and Electronic Properties of Semiconductors, 2nd, 3rd or 4th ed. (World Scientific, Singapore, 2004).
  Note: Required (approximately 70-80% will be taken from this text).
   

• N. Peyghambarian, S.W. Koch, and A. Mysyrowicz, Introduction to Semicondurctor Optics (Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 1993).

[Not required. This book is a very good introduction to semiconductor optics.  As for the contents, it is similar to the Haug/Koch book but focuses more on physical principles rather than formal proofs and derivations.]

• H. Haken, Quantum Field Theory of Solids: An Introduction. (North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1976).

          [Not required. Very good introduction to quantum field theory.]

• N.W. Ashcroft and N.D. Mermin, Solid State Physics (Rinehart and Winston, New York, 1976).

          [Not required. Comprehensive presentation of many "classical" aspects of  
          the physical properties of solids.]

• C. Kittel, Introduction to Solid State Physics (Wiley and Sons, New York, 1986).

          [Not required. Similar to Ashcroft/Mermin.]

• P.Y. Yu and M. Cardona, Fundamentals of Semiconductors (Springer, Berlin, 1996).

[Not required. Comprehensive text on semiconductors.]

• W.W. Chow, S.W. Koch and M. Sargent II, Semiconductor-Laser Physics (Springer, Berlin, 1994).

[Not required. This book contains more details about the Luttinger Hamiltonian than the Haug/Koch book.]

• C. Klingshirn, Semiconductor Optics (Springer, Berlin, 1995)

[Not required. Comprehensive text on semiconductor optics, mainly from an experimental point of view.]

• S.L. Chuang, Physics of Optoelectronic Devices (Wiley, New York, 1995).

[Not required. Comprehensive text on application-oriented semiconductor theory.]