Prerequisites: PHYS122.
Text: Solid State Electronic
Devices Ben G. Streetman, 6th ed 2006, Prentice Hall.
This is a class for juniors and seniors
designed to give the students an understanding of solid state devices they
may encounter now or in the future. The class will spend considerable time
on the basic physics involved. The basics have remained the same, while
the devices and manufacturing techniques have changed at a furious rate.
We see no reason to expect this to change. As devices become smaller, quantum
effects will become more important. We will apply the theory to many of
the current solid state devices.
The class will be roughly divided
into 4 parts, with a test at the end of each, and a cumulative final.
The goal of ch 1-4 is to become familiar
with quantum ideas and effects, and begin to make them intuitive.
Understanding the processes is more
important than being able to work problems. The problems will be a good
illustration of what is possible to do with the theory presented. Much
of the material is easy to read and well covered in the text. This material
may not be covered in lectures, it is your responsibility. Read the assignments
and bring questions to class. Regular quizzes will be given on this material.
The tests will be based on the objectives
for each section. New objectives for each part will be given as we start
it. For the tests, you will be allowed a 3X5 card of notes. An oral exam
can be taken to make up a missed test or bring up a low score.
Reading the text and working problems
is very important to understanding the material. A reading
summary will be required for most assigned sections. Weekly homework assignments
will concentrate on the analytical aspects.
Homework should be done regularly.
Home work can be turned in late but the grade will drop 10% each period
it is late. A bonus (more challenging) problem will be assigned each week.
Problems will be assigned each class and will be due the following Tuesday.
You are encouraged to work on homework in a group of up to 3, however handing
in the problems certifies that you have participated in deriving the solution
and understand all of it. You may seek my help (outside of class) on the
solution before they are due.
Each reading summary will be graded:
satisfactory, unsatisfactory, or redo. They should include the following.
The final grade will be based
on the average of the hour tests, final, homework and reading summaries.
The reading summary average will include pop quizzes be equivalent to one
test. The homework will also be equlivant to a test.The final will count
the same as any test. The lowest of these scores will be dropped. An average
of 90% or above is guaranteed an A, 80% or above at least a B, 70% or above
at least a C, 60% or above at least a D. However, curving of grades may
enable students to get higher grades. There will be a gray area between
letter grades in the final distribution where people with the same average
could get different letter grades. If you are in this area the grade you
get depends on your score on bonus problems and whether your test and homework
performance has been improving (grade goes up) or declining (it goes down).