Registry

Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2012 - 2013
Please note that this information is subject to change.

Module Title	Materials Growth & Characterisation: Semicond
Module Code	PS411
School	School of Physical Sciences
Online Module Resources
Module Co-ordinator	Semester 1: Enda McGlynn Semester 2: Enda McGlynn Autumn: Enda McGlynn
Module Teacher	Enda McGlynn
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5
Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

Description

The purpose of this course is:(i) To provide an overview of a selection of materials growth techniques (bulk and thin film) with particular emphasis on those relevant to semiconductors.(ii) To provide an overview of a selection of materials characterisation techniques with particular emphasis on those relevant to semiconductors and semiconductor nanostructures.(iii) To introduce students to the potential and limitations of the various growth and characterization topics, including quantitative understanding of these aspects.The course is mainly knowledge-based but the literature report assignment will provide library/database skills and written communication skills. Other learning activities include solving numerical and other problems related to the topics covered. Students are expected to attend lectures and tutorials and to prepare for both by appropriate study (including the use of on-line moodle resources provided and textbooks) and thus be able to engage fully in discussions and other interactions in lectures and tutorials. Students must also produce a small report on a literature article or articles on some aspect of the course material and must study the available literature articles and other sources such as textbooks to prepare this report. Students are further expected to prepare for the end of module examinations via study and, as needed, discussion with the lecturer.

Learning Outcomes

1. Discuss and describe both qualitatively, and, where appropriate, quantitatively, the underpinning science of a selection of bulk and thin film materials growth techniques
2. Discuss and describe both qualitatively, and, where appropriate, quantitatively, the underpinning science of a selection of bulk and thin film materials characterisation techniques
3. Read and summarise the scientific literature in this field at a level sufficient to produce a small report on a literature article or articles on some aspect of the course material

Workload	Full-time hours per semester
*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Lecture	24	Lecture
Tutorial	6	Tutorial
Independent learning	95	Study for lectures, tutorials and final exam and preparation of report on literature article(s)
Total Workload: 125

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Indicative syllabus.
Topic 1 – Bulk Crystal Growth (w1) Czochralski, float zone (plus FZ refining) and furnace growth.

Indicative syllabus.
Topic 2 – Thin Film Growth, Deposition and Epitaxy (w2 & w3) Thin film growth and deposition techniques (molecular beam / PLD, vapour phase, liquid phase) Epitaxy and epitaxial relationships Whisker growth.

Indicative syllabus.
Topic 3 – Semiconductor Bandgap Engineering via Alloying (w3 & w4) Vegards law for binary & ternary alloys (virtual crystal approximation, bowing effects for bandgaps, phase separation) Vegards law for quaternary alloys.

Indicative syllabus.
Topic 4 - Electron Microscopies (w5, w6 & w7) SEM - image formation, optics, resolution, SE, BE, CL, EDX modes TEM - image formation, optics, resolution, electron diffraction.

Indicative syllabus.
Topic 5 - X-ray diffraction (w8, w9 & w10) Review of Bragg's Law. theta-2theta, omega, phi scans for thin film diffraction.

Indicative syllabus.
Topic 6 - Optical Characterisation (w11 & w12) Absorption Spectroscopy Luminescence Spectroscopy.

Learning activities.
Students are expected to attend lectures and tutorials and to prepare for both by appropriate study (including the use of on-line moodle resources provided and textbooks) and thus be able to engage fully in discussions and other interactions in lectures and tutorials. Students must also produce a small report on a literature article or articles on some aspect of the course material and must study the available literature articles and other sources such as textbooks to prepare this report. Students are further expected to prepare for the end of module examinations via study and, as needed, discussion with the lecturer..

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	20%	Examination Weight	80%

Course Work Breakdown
Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Report (s) (written / oral)	CA mini-project ~ week 9 of semester 2 – summary of literature article on some aspect of the course material covering testing of the qualitative aspects of outcome 3 above	20%	Week 28

Reassessment Requirement
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; 1 = A resit is available for all components of the module 2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module 3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Yu and Cardona (**Main textbook for module): 1996, Fundamentals of Semiconductors: Physics and Materials Properties, 1 or more recent, All relevant to syllabus, Springer,
Klingshirn: 1997, Semiconductor Optics, 1 or more recent, All relevant to syllabus, Springer,
Stradling and Klipstein: 1990, Growth and characterisation of semiconductors, 1, All relevant to syllabus, Adam Hilger,
Perkowitz: 1993, Optical characterization of semiconductors : infrared, raman, and photoluminescence spectroscopy, 1, All relevant to syllabus, Academic Press,
Bauer and Richter: 1996, Optical Characterization of Epitaxial Semiconductor Layers, 1, All relevant to syllabus, Springer,
Lee: 1990, Fundamentals of Microelectronics Processing, 1, All relevant to syllabus, McGraw-Hill,
Smith: 1995, Thin film deposition: principles and practice, 1, All relevant to syllabus, McGraw-Hill,

Other Resources

1318, Moodle, Enda McGlynn, 0, PS411 lecture notes on moodle,

Array

Programme or List of Programmes

BSc in Applied Physics

PBM

BSc Physics with Biomedical Sciences

PHA

BSc in Physics with Astronomy

Timetable this semester: Timetable for PS411

Date of Last Revision

04-SEP-08