2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Engineering Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Graduate major in Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Fundamentals of Electronic Materials I
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Satoshi Sugahara
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 7-8 Mon (S2-203(S222))
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- EEE.D402
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 24, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Band structure of electronic materials has an essential role as a basis for various electronic devices. We can extract important properties for device applications from the band structure. However, it is not easy to understand the physical interpretation of the band structure. In this course, we focus on learning how the band structures of crystalline solids are formed and how the band structures can be calculated. Through this course, students will be able to gain a better understanding of the physical interpretation of band structure.
This course covers band theories of solids. The concepts of Brillouin zone, Bloch theorem, empty lattice approximation, and chemical bonds in solids are introduced as a basis for the band theories. Then, students learn nearly-free-electron methods using empty-lattice and perturbation-potential approximations and tight binding theory that can accurately reproduce the band structures of semiconductors. In particular, we learn the calculation methodology of the band structures of diamond- and zincblend-type semiconductors, based on semi-empirical tight binding theory.
Course description and aims
1. To understand the generation of band structures in periodic lattice potentials using the nearly-free-electron model of crystalline solids based on perturbation theory.
2. To comprehend the concept and methodology of tight binding theory.
3. To understand the band structures of diamond- and zincblend-type semiconductors.
Keywords
Quantum mechanics, Perturbation theory, Crystal, Bloch theorem, Band structure, nearly free electron model, tight-binding method, Semiconductor
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Exercises are carried out every lecture to gain a better understanding.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Free electron model of crystalline solids | Hamiltonian for single electron approximation, Quantum well model of solids, Free electron model with periodic boundary condition |
| Class 2 | Nearly free electron model of crystalline solids | Lattice potential and energy gap generation, Nearly free electron model based on perturbation theory |
| Class 3 | Bravais lattice, Reciprocal lattice, and Brillouin zone | Bravais lattice and translation vector, Reciprocal lattice, Brillouin zone |
| Class 4 | Bloch theorem and Empty lattice band | Bloch theorem, Reduced zone, Empty lattice approximation |
| Class 5 | Tight binding theory I | Chemical bonds, Fundamentals of tight binding theory |
| Class 6 | Tight binding theory II | Tight binding theory of 2-dimensional lattices |
| Class 7 | Band structures of semiconductors | Tight binding theory of diamond- and zincblend-type semiconductors, and the band structures of semiconductors |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
No textbook is set. Course materials will be distributed.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
W.A. Harrison, "Electronic structure and the properties of solids: The Physics of the Chemical Bond ", Dover Publications.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Assignments and end-of-term examination
Related courses
- EEE.D411 ： Semiconductor Physics
- EEE.D501 ： Dielectric Property and Organic Devices
- EEE.D421 ： Imaging Materials
- EEE.D551 ： Nano-Structure Devices
Prerequisites
Fundamentals of quantum mechanics