The course, taught in English, is mandatory as an alternative to Optoelettronica for the MSc-level program in Electronic Engineering. The course goal is to complete the student knowledge in the field of semiconductor devices with the topics related to advanced electron devices for high-speed and optoelectronics applications. Field effect transistors for high frequency applications will be presented, with particular reference to the MESFET and the various electron devices based on heterostructures, such as the HFET, the HEMT and the bipolar HBT transistor. The course includes an introductory overview of optoelectronics and optoelectronic devices, such as photodetectors and electo-optic modulators, and a brief description of power semiconductor devices. Competences acquired in the High Speed Electron Devices course will be applied, both at the theoretical and experimental levels, in several following Electronics course, in particular for analogue applications.

- Knowledge of the basic issues related to the high speed and optoelectronic devices - Knowledge of the advanced technologies for high speed electron and optoeletronic devices - Knowledge of high speed electron devices operation along with their descriptive models - Basic knowledge of the operation of selected optoelectronic devices (photodiodes and electro-optic modulators) - Basic knowledge of the specific features of the main semiconductor devices for power applications - Capability to exploit physics-based mathematical models for the analysis and the design of high frequency electron devices (MESFETs, HEMTs, HBTs) - Capability to exploit small-signal equivalent circuit models of high frequency electron devices (MESFETs, HEMTs, HBTs)

The course assumes a good knowledge of solid state physics basics, and of the description of electrical conduction in semiconductors. Knowledge of the working principles of traditional semiconductor devices (pn junction, bipolar junction transistor, MOSFET) is also taken for granted.

- Review of semiconductor theory (0.5 cr) - Metal-semiconductor junction and MESFET transistor (1.5 cr) - Heterostructures: technology and band diagram (0.5 cr) - Heterostructure FET: HFET, HEMT (1.5 cr) - Heterostructure bipolar transistor HBT (1 cr) - Optoelectronic and power electronics devices (1 cr)

Theoretical lectures and practice classes are used in the course. Practice classes will allow the students to quantitatively apply the equations derived in class on semiconductor heterostructures and for the main heterostructure devices.

Lectures will exploit slides made available in advance to the student and projected in class with the projection system. All the produced material will be made available on the course website as pdf files. Exercises are discussed and solved in room. Homework exercises are also provided in .pdf format for self-learning and preparation of the final exam. Suggested references are: G. Ghione Semiconductor Device for High-Speed Optoelectronics, Cambridge University Press (2009); S.M. Sze, K.K. Ng, Physics of semiconductor devices, Wiley (2007); G. Ghione Dispositivi per la Microelettronica, McGraw Hill (1998).

Modalità di esame: Prova scritta (in aula); Prova orale facoltativa;

Exam: Written test; Optional oral exam;

... The goal of the examination is to verify the knowledge of the topics listed in the Contents section and the capability to apply them to exercise solution. The exam is made of a 2 hour written test and of a voluntary oral examination. Access to the oral examination requires a grade for the written examination at least equal to 18/30. The final grade is obtained combining both the written and oral part partial grades. -Written test (weight 0.85): consists of an open theoretical question, of a numerical exercise, and of a set of about 5 closed answer questions. The value of the three parts is approximately the same. The main equations introduced during the lectures and made available to the student through a “list of formulae”; -Oral test (weight 0.15): to gain access to the oral test the students must have obtained an evaluation of the written test at least equal to 18/30. The oral examination is devoted to the assessment of a proper knowledge of the theory discussed during the lectures and will possibly include the discussion of the written test. The theoretical topics that may be discussed during the oral test are listed in the Contents section. Normally the oral test has to be taken right after the results of the written test are provided.

Gli studenti e le studentesse con disabilità o con Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento (DSA), oltre alla segnalazione tramite procedura informatizzata, sono invitati a comunicare anche direttamente al/la docente titolare dell'insegnamento, con un preavviso non inferiore ad una settimana dall'avvio della sessione d'esame, gli strumenti compensativi concordati con l'Unità Special Needs, al fine di permettere al/la docente la declinazione più idonea in riferimento alla specifica tipologia di esame.