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Course overview
This course covers the physics and characteristics of electronic devices from the semiconductor level upward. Students start with semiconductor material properties and band theory, then study p-n junctions, diode models, and special diodes. The course then covers BJT physics and characteristics before moving to FET devices including JFET and MOSFET. The final module addresses optoelectronic devices. After completing the course, students can explain device operation from carrier physics, read and use device characteristics curves, and select appropriate device models for circuit analysis.
Details
Target audience: Second-year B.Tech ECE students taking Electronic Devices and Circuits as a core subject, and students preparing for GATE in the Electronic Devices section.
Duration: 10 to 13 hours across 5 modules
Prerequisites
- Basic atomic physics and energy level concepts
- Ohm's law and resistivity
- Elementary calculus for understanding drift and diffusion
Learning outcomes
- Calculate carrier concentrations in intrinsic and doped semiconductors at a given temperature
- Explain p-n junction formation, built-in potential, and the effect of forward and reverse bias on depletion width
- Use the diode equation to find current for a given voltage, and identify the region of operation
- Interpret BJT input and output characteristics and extract current gain and Early voltage from curves
- Distinguish between depletion and enhancement mode MOSFETs and calculate drain current using the square-law model
- Describe the operating principle of LEDs, photodiodes, and solar cells in terms of carrier recombination and generation
Modules
- Energy band theory: conductors, semiconductors, and insulators
- Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductor carrier concentrations
- Drift and diffusion current components
- Hall effect and carrier mobility
- Fermi level position in n-type and p-type material
- p-n junction formation and built-in potential
- Depletion region width under forward and reverse bias
- Diode current equation and ideality factor
- Breakdown: Zener and avalanche mechanisms
- Diode capacitance: junction and diffusion capacitance
- BJT structure and minority carrier transport
- Common-base, common-emitter, and common-collector configurations
- Input and output characteristic curves
- Current gain alpha and beta, and their relationship
- Early effect and base-width modulation
- JFET structure and pinch-off mechanism
- JFET output and transfer characteristics
- MOSFET enhancement and depletion mode operation
- Threshold voltage and oxide capacitance
- CMOS inverter operation and noise margins
- Tunnel diode and its negative resistance region
- Schottky diode and metal-semiconductor junction
- LED operation and recombination mechanisms
- Photodiode and solar cell characteristics
- Laser diode basics and threshold condition