1st module

Dott. Lorenzo Pavesi

A.A. 1998/99

During this teaching unit particular attention will be paid to photonic
applications, thus the standard concepts will be shortly commented while
more emphasis will be placed on the description of quantum confinement in
nanometric structures.

Those arguments in common with the Solid State Physics unit will be only
brifly comments. It is suggested that the student pass the Structure of the
Matter examination before attending this teaching unit.

PROGRAMME

1. Introduction
Various semiconductor types. Band structure. Equilibrium carrier
distribution. Doping. Main defects. Epitazial and bul growth techniques.

2. Transport
Electrical mobility. p/n junctions. Modulation doped heterostrucutres.
Quantum Hall effect.

3. Optical properties.
Dielectric function. Phonons. Excitons. Radiative and non-radiative
transitions. Experimental techniques.

4. Quantum confinement effects on electronic states.
Quantum wells and superlattices. Electronic and optical properties. One and
zero-dimensional structures. Fabrication and characterization techniques.
Applications.

5. Semiconductor laser.
Light emitting diodes. Basic on laser effect. Heterostructure laser.
Quantum well laser. Introduction to the photonics.

SUGGESTED READINGS

P. Bhattacharya, Semiconductor Optoelectronic Devices, Prentice-Hall
Peter Yu and M. Cardona, Fundamentals of Semiconductors, Springer-Verlag
(Berlino 1996)
S. M. Sze, Physics of Semiconductor Devices, John Wiley & Sons (New York 1981)
C. Weisbuch and B. Vinter, Quantum Semiconductor Structures, Academic
Press (Boston 1991)