Basic Physics for Solid State Electronics

Solid state devices have driven widespread technological revolution and are ubiquitous in our daily lives. We study the physics of solid state materials, enabling a complete understanding from the atom to the device. Topics include: energy band theory of solids; heterostructures and low-dimensional structures for bandgap engineering; electrons, holes, densities of states and relation to absorption and gain; and semiconductor statistics determining equilibrium and non-equilibrium carrier distributions. We explain how these principles govern the operation of modern devices, including transistors, light-emitting diodes and solar cells. Prerequisite: course in modern physics.