Corso di laurea in Scienza dei Materiali
Corso di laurea in Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali

 Ability to identify and manage the main features of semiconductor materials and the relevant experimental techniques for their characterization. 

Knowledge and understanding:

• knowledge of the basic concepts regarding the properties of materials and basic semiconductor devices
• understanding of the functionalities of laboratory equipment and of relevant experimental techniques for the electronic characterization of materials and basic devices.

Applying knowledge and understanding:

• ability to understand and manage fundamental physical models of semiconductor physics to interpret the physical properties of semiconductor materials and devices.
• ability to evaluate the order of magnitude of the physical observables, to perform basic calculations and to solve simple problems relevant to the properties of materials;
• ability to take experimental measurements, using modern instrumentation and adopting a suitable experimental protocol to characterize materials for electronics;
• ability to interpret the experimental data using a correct statistical data analysis;
• ability to write a clear scientific report, using correct scientific terminology

All teaching activities will be conducted in presence, in agreement with the provisions of the University on the website "Disposizioni per chi studia e lavora in UniTo".

4.5 CFU  (36 h) lectures with classroom exercises

1.5 CFU  (20 h) of laboratory activities (16 h) accompanied by introductory lectures (4 h)

Attending lectures is not mandatory.

Attending laboratory classes is mandatory for at least 70% of the time devoted to experimental activities.

Since the beginning of October 2022, except for new ministerial provisions, the exams will take place in presence, with the exception of students who self-declare positive to COVID-19.

See the CAMPUSNET webpage of the whole course (module A and module B).

Laboratory reports:

This exam is aimed to verify the student's abilities to properly use instrumentation and data analysis techniques for the electronic characterization of materials. 

The laboratory groups will have to present their group-based laboratory reports to the teacher within one week from the conclusion of the laboratory sessions. Any delay will be penalized in the assessment. Within two weeks from the report delivery, the groups will be invited to discuss the report. The discussion will be about the correct use of the scientific notation, of the experimental protocol and of the statistical data analysis. The assessment is relevant to all the group members and its validity is 24 months.

Oral Exam:

This exam is aimed to verify the knowledge of the fundamental physical models relevant to the electronic/optical/thermal/structural properties of solid materials and to verify the ability to properly show the experimental techniques and the interpretative models of the laboratory activities. 

Only students with a sufficient evaluation of their laboratory reports (>18/30) and of the written exam (>18/30) will be admitted to the oral exam. The exam will be focused on the physics, the instrumentation, and the results obtained from the analysis of acquired data, relative to the laboratory experience performed by the student and two questions on topics presented during the course lectures (module A and module B).

The final mark will result from the average of the marks obtained in the 3 above-mentioned exams (evaluation of the laboratory reports, written exam, oral exam).
The calendar of exam sessions is shown on the ESSE3 website.
Extraordinary sessions can be granted to students only if they are close to their thesis dissertation, and if they don't have any courses left to follow and only one exam left to undertake.

Laboratory reports have to be sent in pdf format by

(date to be defined, within 15 days from the end of the laboratory classes).

The discussion of the laboratory reports is organized as follows

(date to be defined, within 15 days from the submission of the reports).

Lectures

The detailed program is given in the Moodle platform

• Elements of Semiconductor Physics: band theory, electrons and holes in semiconducting materials.
• Doping; synthesis methods of homogeneous intrinsic and doped semiconductor
• Charge carrier statistical distribution law. Physical meaning of the band diagrams.
• Semiconductors in non-equilibrium conditions.
• Transport of electrons and holes. Conductivity, resistivity and Ohm's law.  Photoconductivity, light and magnetic field sensors.
• P-n junctions: Electrostatics, capacitance/voltage and current/voltage characteristics, theory of the ideal and real diode.
• Light-emitting diodes. Principles of BJT, JFET, and FET.
• Elements of technology for microelectronics.

Laboratory classes

The activities in the laboratory regard the optoelectronic characterization of semiconductor materials and devices.

• Transmittance and photoconductivity measurements for the determination of the energy gap of a semiconductor.
• Electronic characterization of homogeneous and/or heterogeneous semiconductors.
• Electrical and optical characterization of light-emitting diodes.
• Characterization of semiconductors by Hall effect measurements