EE510 Semiconductor Device Modelling

L01: Introduction to Course

Arun Tej M.
Department of EEE and
Centre for Nanotechnology

Teaching Assistant
Mr. Abhishek Verma (M.Tech., VLSI),
abhishek.verma@iitg.ac.in
Details

L-T-P
Credits = 6
3-0-0

✓ Tuesday
08:00 – 08:55 hrs
✓ Wednesday
Room 5002
✓ Thursday

• Core course for M. Tech. - VLSI

• Core course for M. Tech. - MRFP
• Elective course for (M.S. + Ph.D.) and Ph.D
 Semiconductors

• Conductivity lies between that of insulators and conductors

• Conductivity increases with temperature and with light
• Conductivity can be tuned by controlling impurity content (doping process)
• While some of them emit light of specific wavelengths, some do not
• Ex.: Si, Ge, Se, Te, SiGe, GaAs, SiC, InP, CdS, ZnO, PbSnTe, AgGaO2, MoS2, P3HT, NTs, QDs…

How can one classify semiconductors?

• Elemental - Compound
• Group in periodic table - IV, III-V, II-VI, VI, I-III-VI2 etc.
• Material type: Inorganic, Organic, Hybrid
• Structure: Crystalline, Poly-crystalline, Micro-crystalline, Nano-crystalline, Amorphous
• Impurity: Intrinsic – Extrinsic
• Dimensions: 3D, 2D, 1D, 0D
 Semiconductor Devices

Examples:
Diode, Avalanche Diode, Tunnel Diode, Schottky Diode, Zener Diode, IMPATT Diode, PDB Diode,
LED, TED, HHED, BARITT Diode, Laser, Solar Cell, PIN Diode, Photodetectors, BJT, THETA,
LET, Phototransistor, JFET, MOSFET, MESFET, TEGFET, HFET, HEMT, VMOS, SCR, IGBT,
GAAFET, FinFET, CCD, Memory, Spin-Valve Transistor, FAMOS Transistor, SAW Device,
Memristor …

(Ref.: Kwok. K. Ng, Complete guide to semiconductor devices, IEEE)

Semiconductor Device Modelling

Device Modelling?
• Representation of the device behavior using equations, circuits, and graphs
✓ Make assumptions
✓ Understand the impact of the assumptions
✓ Justify the assumptions
• Analytical and Numerical Modelling

What is the need for device modelling?

• Useful for simulation, analysis, device design, circuit design, and production control
• Modern fabrication technology – Highly expensive and complex
• Use device models to perform iterations and predict performance before fabrication
Examples

An RF circuit model

A SPICE model for drain current

microwavejournal.com
Level-2 SPICE Models
Terminology

Analysis
Separation of the device into parts, understanding the parts in isolation, combining the
understanding of the parts to understand the phenomena operating in the device
Modelling
Derivation of an approximate mathematical or equivalent circuit representation of the device
terminal characteristics
Simulation
Replication of the behavior of a fabricated device by a device model (analytical or numerical)
Design
Plan of construction of a device to a given specification

Prof. S. Karmalkar Lectures, NPTEL

Simulation

Simulation
Replication of the behavior of a fabricated device by a device model (analytical or numerical)
What is the need for device simulation?
Cuts down manufacturing costs
Helps assess new device concepts
Provides physical quantities necessary to get insight into how a device operates under various
conditions
Approximations for analytical models can be developed

Prof. S. Karmalkar Lectures, NPTEL

TCAD Simulation Example

(b)

Global TCAD Solutions - Examples

TCAD Simulation Example

(b)

Global TCAD Solutions - Examples

TCAD Simulation Example

(b)

Global TCAD Solutions - Examples

TCAD Simulation Example

(b)

Global TCAD Solutions - Examples

Course Contents

Junctions: equilibrium conditions, forward and reverse-biased junctions, reverse-bias

breakdown, transient and a-c conditions, recombination and generation in the transition,
semiconductor heterojunctions, Metal-semiconductor junctions: Schottky barriers, rectifying
and Ohmic contacts, Bipolar junction transistors: minority carrier distribution and terminal
currents, generalized biasing, switching, secondary effects, frequency limitations of transistors,
heterojunction bipolar transistors, Field-Effect Transistors: JFET- current-voltage
characteristics, effects in real devices, high-frequency and high-speed issues, Metal Insulator
Semiconductor FET, MOSFET- basic operation and fabrication; ideal MOS capacitor; effects of
real surfaces; threshold voltages; output and transfer characteristics of MOSFET, Short
channel and Narrow width effects, MOSFET scaling, Optoelectronics Devices: Light emitting
diodes, Lasers, Photoconductors, Junction Photodiodes, Avalanche Photodiodes, Solar Cells,
SPICE Models for Semiconductor Devices: MOSFET Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 models,
Model parameters; SPICE models of p-n diode and BJT.
Tentative Lecture Plan

Topic No. of Lectures

Physics of Semiconductors 12 20 Lectures
Diode 8
Mid-Sem Exam
MOS Capacitor 5
MOSFET 12 22 Lectures
BJT 3
Advanced Devices 2
End-Sem Exam
Total 42
 References
References

Books
1. B. G. Streetman and S. K. Banerjee, Solid State Electronic Devices, 7th ed., Pearson, 2015.
2. D. A. Neamen and D. Biswas, Semiconductor Physics and Devices, 4th ed., Tata McGraw-Hill, 2012.
3. C. C. Hu, Modern Semiconductor Devices for Integrated Circuits, Pearson, 2009.
4. M. S. Tyagi, Introduction to Semiconductor Materials and Devices, Wiley-India, 2008.
5. S. M. Sze and K. K. Ng, Physics of Semiconductor Devices, 3rd ed., Wiley, 2007.
6. R. F. Pierret, Semiconductor Device Fundamentals, Pearson, 2006.
7. M. K. Achutan and K. N. Bhat, Fundamentals of Semiconductor Devices, Tata McGraw-Hill, 2006.
8. N. Dasgupta and A. Dasgupta, Semiconductor Devices - Modelling and Technology, PHI Learning, 2004.
9. R. S. Muller and T. I. Kamins, Device Electronics for Integrated Circuits, Wiley, 2002.
10. G. Massobrio and P. Antognetti, Semiconductor Device Modeling with SPICE, 2nd Edition, TMH, 2010.
 References
References

Video Lectures
1. Prof. S. Karmalkar, IITM (youtube)
2. Prof. B. Mazhari, IITK (youtube)
3. Prof. M. R. Shenoy, IITD (youtube)
4. Prof. D. N. Nath, IISc (youtube)
5. Prof. S. Sambandan, IISc (youtube)
6. Prof. M. S. Lundstrom, Purdue U. (youtube)
7. Prof. M. S. Lundstrom and Prof. M. A. Alam, Purdue U. (ECE305, ECE606 @ nanohub)
8. Prof. Y. Tsividis, Columbia U. (MOSFET @ coursera)
9. Prof. S. K. Lahiri, IITKgp (youtube)
 Tentative Grading Policy

Range Grade
Test Type Marks >90 AS
Surprise Quizzes 30 85-90 AA
Mid-Semester Exam 30 80-84 AB
End-Semester Exam 40 70-79 BB
Total 100 60-79 BC
50-59 CC
40-49 CD
Minimum marks to pass the course = 35 35-39 DD
<35 F
✓ Always bring a scientific calculator to the class!
Where are semiconductor devices used?

The principal applications of any sufficiently new and innovative technology always have been
— and will continue to be — applications created by that technology

H. Kroemer’s Nobel prize lecture in the year 2000

“Quasielectricfields and band offsets: Teaching electrons new tricks”
Numerous Applications
 Op-Amp

Pulse Oximeter

Systems

Sub-Systems

Basic Circuits

Devices
 History
References

(a) (b) (c)

1782: ‘Semiconducting’ term used by Alessandro Volta
1833: ‘Semiconductor effect’ observed by Michael Faraday
Ag2S - Conductivity ↑ with temperature
1851: Quantitative analysis by Johann Hittorf
(d) (e)
Ag2S and Cu2S - Linear relation of log σ vs. 1/T
1873: Photoconductivity observed by Willoughby Smith
Se – Conductivity ↑ with exposure to light
1874: ‘Rectification effect’ observed by Karl Ferdinand Braun
Metal sulfides probed by metal whiskers (a) Volta, (b) Faraday, (c) Hittorf
(d) Smith, and (d) Braun

L. Łukasiak and A. Jakubowski, J. Telecomm. Inf. Tech., 2010

 History
References
(a) (c)

1876: Photovoltaic effect observed by Adams and Day

Se – Current direction changed with exposure to light
1878: ‘Hall effect’ by Edwin Herbert Hall
1883: First working solar cell by Charles Fritts (b) (d)

Metal-Se-Au structure
1897: Discovery of electron by J.J. Thomson
1900: ‘Model of electrons in metals’ by Paul Drude
1900s: Quantum mechanics
(a) Hall, (b) Fritts,
(c) Thomson, and (d) Drude

L. Łukasiak and A. Jakubowski, J. Telecomm. Inf. Tech., 2010

References
 20 th Century
References

1926: Concept patent for field effect device by Julius Lilienfeld

1928: Theory of electrons in periodic lattices by Felix Bloch
1930: ‘Concept of forbidden gap’ by Rudolf Peierls
1931: ‘Band theory’ of solids by Alan Wilson, ‘Concept of holes’ by Heisenberg
1938: Models for potential barrier and current flow in metal-semiconductor junction by Walter
Schottky and Neville F. Mott

Lilienfeld Bloch Peierls Wilson Schottky Mott

 20 th Century
References

1940: Discovery of Si PV and p-n junction by Russel Ohl; Identifies relevant impurities
1945: Concept of ‘field-effect’ amplifier by William Shockley; Problem of surface states
1947: First working point-contact transistor by John Bardeen and Walter Brattain
1948: Junction transistor by William Shockley; Concept of minority carrier injection
1957: Tunnel diode by Leo Esaki

Point-contact
Ohl Bardeen, Shockley, and Brattain transistor Esaki
 Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC)
References
• First generation electronic
computer
~18,000 vacuum tubes
Several miles of wiring
40 black 8-ft. panels
Weighed 30 tons
Occupied 50 x 30 sq.ft. area
• U. Pennsylvania, 1940s
• US Army needed the calculation
to accurately determine the
trajectories of artillery shells
• 5000 additions per second
• Today’s pocket calculators?
 Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC)
References

https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-
talk/tech-history/dawn-of-
electronics/untold-history-of-ai-
invisible-woman-programmed-
americas-first-electronic-computer
 20 th Century
References

1958: First integrated circuit by Jack Kilby (Texas Instruments)

1959: First planar IC by Robert N. Noyce (Fairchild Semiconductors)
1960: First MOS transistor demonstrated by John Atalla and Dawon Kahng
1963: First CMOS circuit configuration by Frank Wanlass
1964: First commercial MOS IC by Robert Norman (General Microelectronics)
 20 th Century
References

1962: Practical LED invented in 1962 (Nick Holonyak)

1927: First LED invented in 1927 (Oleg Vladimirovich Losev)
• ZnO-SiC diode
• Gave theoretical explanations (QM)
• Called it ‘inverse photoelectric effect’ Oleg Losev
1903-1942
 Did we miss some important history?
References