Postgraduate courses at the Department of Electrical Engineering

Course syllabus

FTN0052 Physics of Semiconductor Devices
Credits: 10 ECTS
Course responsible: Shili Zhang, Division of Solid-State Electronics, Department of Electrical Engineering shili.zhang@angstrom.uu.se
Main fields of study: Electronics, engineering sciences, physics, engineering physics
Course period: spring
Availability: Max 12 students
Language for instruction: English
Requirements: MSc education or equivalent in physics, engineering physics, electrical engineering or electronics
Grading system: Pass or fail

Aim and scope

Semiconductor devices constitute the building blocks of modern electronics that in turn is the foundation of information and communication technology. The family of semiconductor devices is large with over 100 different members ever explored and many of which implemented for real applications. Despite this large number of family members, the device architecture and operation are all based on a handful of physical principles.

This course will cover these physical principles, by starting with introducing the concepts of energy bands and semiconductor doping. The most important and prevailing semiconductor devices, i.e. p-n diodes, metal-semiconductor junctions, metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitors (MIS-C), bipolar junction transistors (BJT) and metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) will then be treated in great detail. This treatment will be followed by examining several other important semiconductor devices including light-emitting diodes, solar cells and various semiconductor-based detectors or sensors. In order to reinforce the learning, lecturing will be intimately integrated with hands-on problem-solving and topical student seminars.

After completing the course, the student should be able to:

• Discuss device operations in the framework of energy band diagram;
• Analyse device functions by recourse to available physical models;
• Quantify device behaviours with the assistance of established mathematical models;
• Motivate and establish connections between or among different devices.
  

Scheme and requirements

• Sessions: 11 × 3 hours
• Take-home written exam
• Individual oral exam

Course syllabus

FTN0456 Design, Simulation and Fabrication of Semiconductor Devices
Credits: 10 ECTS
Course responsible: Shili Zhang, shili.zhang@angstrom.uu.se; Ngan Pham ngan.pham@angstrom.uu.se.

Main fields of study: Electronics, engineering sciences, physics, engineering physics
Course period: spring
Availability: Max 10 students
Language for instruction: English
Requirements: BSc education or equivalent in physics, engineering physics or electrical engineering, electronics
Grading system: Pass or fail

Aim and scope:

The course aims to provide the students with the in-depth knowledge of process technologies used for device design and fabrication at micro- and nanoscale. The methods and process modules developed along with the rapid progress of microelectronics represented by CMOS technology over the past several decades are generic and have been widely adopted in micro-system technology (MEMS) as well. Standard silicon technology encompassing these methods and process modules is also anticipated to be the base for the emerging quantum electronics and neuromorphic electronics. It has lately further been extensively explored for design and fabrication of exotic electric biosensors at nanoscale aiming to revolutionize biomedical technology, exemplified by nanopore and nanowire technologies for DNA sequencing and molecule analysis.

The primary focus of this course is placed on standard silicon technology for metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). The course will broaden the scope by covering tailored design and fabrication modules for non-silicon devices. Apart from design, fabrication and characterization of p-n diodes, the course also covers process and device simulation.

After completing the course, the students should be able to:

• Understand the fundamentals behind each critical process module (basic level),
• Be familiar with the process flow comprising a series of process modules for the fabrication of a complete MOSFET as well as a simple integrated circuit (IC) (basic level),
• Describe and implement each of the process modules at a deeper level backed by physical models, theoretical solutions and numerical simulation (advanced level),
• Design a process flow for realization of specific device structure, functionality and performance (master level).
  

Scheme and requirements

• 12 × 2 hours of lectures
• 2 × 2 hours of simulation lab
• 8 × 4 hours of fabrication lab in cleanroom
• 1 × 4 hours of electrical measurement lab
• Individual lab work report
• Written exam

Course syllabus

FTN0252 Electrical Characterization for Thin-Film Technology

Credits: 5 ECTS

Course responsible: Zhen Zhang, zhen.zhang@angstrom.uu.se

Requirements: MSc education or equivalent in physics, engineering physics, electrical engineering or electronics; Knowledge in semiconductor device physics.

Aim and Learning Outcomes

This course is aimed at providing the students with the basic knowledge in electrical characterization methods used in thin-film technology and thin-film based device technology. Since the number of electrical characterization methods and instruments for thin-film technology is too large to be covered in a single course like ours, we have identified a set of inter-correlated, complementary methods that are vital for the basic evaluation of thin films and thin-film based devices. The students will have the opportunity to make hands-on exercises using some electrical characterization equipment that is available at the Solid State Electronics (FTE) division, Department of Engineering Sciences, in the Angstrom Laboratory.

After completion of the course the student is expected to be able to

• Choose applicable electrical measurement techniques for a particular task concerning thin film technology and thin-film based devices
• Understand and operate basic measurement instruments
• Make judgment of the accuracy of measurement results based on known parameters of the measurement instruments and statistical analysis of measurement data
• Correlate and cross-examine measurement results obtained by using complementary measurement techniques
• Recommend further measurement methods if applicable
• Recommend or devise the acquisition of new measurement equipment

Content

8 lectures and 4 lab exercises

Lab exercises:

Lab 1: Hall effects (TN)
Lab 2: Contact resistance (ZZ)
Lab 3: Diodes (ZZ) or LED & PV (UZ)
Lab 4: MOS-CAP CV & mobility extraction for FET (ZZ)

Examination

To obtain the full credits, 5 hp, the participant is required to:

• Participate in all lab exercises
  
• Complete and get approved with all lab reports
  
• Pass the final written exam
  

A completed course is given the marks Pass or Fail.

Other Directives

The language of the course is English.
The reports are written in English

Course syllabus

FTN0217 Brain-inspired Computing

Credits: 5 ECTS

Course responsible: Dr. Zhibin Zhang, Zhibin.Zhang@angstrom.uu.se

Study period: autumn

Main fields of study: Electronics, engineering sciences, physics, computer science, neuroscience

Participants: 15

Prerequisite: basic physics including electronics, university mathematics (calculus, linear algebra)

Language: English

Course materials: presentation, assignments, a limited amount of articles

Content

This course introduces biophysical models of neurons and explores working principles of computation used in the brain as well as how the principles are applied in developing artificial systems. The contents of the course include a series of lectures and hands-on exercises in (1) the essence, history, strength, applications and the science base of the brain-inspired neuromorphic computing, (2) the biological facts and physical models of individual neurons, (3) the phase plane analysis of physical models of neurons, (4) the biological facts and physical models of synaptic connections, (5) the learning mechanisms with the dynamics of synapse, (6) the physics of neuronal population, (7) the dynamics of cognitive processes, e.g., perception, memory, recognition, and (8) the fundamentals and learning rules of SNN. Assignments following all lectures. The main course materials include "Neuronal Dynamics" (by Wulfram Gerstner etc., Cambridge University Press for the physics of neuronal systems), and "Neuroscience" (by Dale Purves etc., Oxford University Press for biological facts about the brain), and a list of review and research articles.

Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the student shall be able to:

• Understand the biological aspects and the physical models at different levels of individual neurons,
• Calculate and predict neuronal activities using the leaky integrate-and-fire (LIF) model of neurons,
• Master the mathematical tools of phase plane analysis to describe the dynamics of neurons,
• Explain the biological aspects and physics of synaptic connections and their roles in learning process,
• Describe population activities,
• Discuss the physics underlying the cognitive processes in the brain, e.g., memory, perception and feature recognition, and
• Know how the knowledge of neuroscience is applied to develop the new generation AI computation model, spiking neural networks (SNN).

Course syllabus

FTN0292 Thin Film Technology

Credits: 5 ECTS

Course responsible: Tomas Kubart, tomas.kubart@angstrom.uu.se

Course period: spring

Description

The course provides introduction into synthesis of thin film materials and coatings. This knowledge is essential for all students in materials science as well as for those utilizing thin films in systems and devices. The aim is to provide understanding of the different deposition techniques and the relation between growth conditions and material properties, rather than describe detailed technology implementation. Traditional vacuum techniques are covered and a brief overview of wet-chemical methods is also given. Given the varied background of the students, the focus is on active learning facilitated by a combination of traditional lectures and seminars, where the participant work themselves under guidance.

Content

Deposition of thin films by physical (PVD) and chemical (CVD and ALD) techniques with focus on the fundamental physical and chemical processes. A brief overview of solgel and electrochemical deposition.

Main topics covered in the course are:

• Evaporation, sputtering, ion-plating as well as CVD and ALD.
• Plasma technologies for thin films.
• Effect of the substrate on the film growth and techniques for surface modification.
• Models for nucleation and film growth.
• Morphology and texture and their impact on material properties.
• Solgel, electrochemical deposition.
• Examples of applications of thin film materials and deposition technologies.
  

Optional project module (2hp): A thin film experimental project related to the PhD work.

Assessment

Presentation at all seminars, Home exam +oral interview

Course syllabus

FTN0523 Vacuum technology

Credits: 5 ECTS

Course period: autumn

Course responsible: Tomas Nyberg, tomas.nyberg@angstrom.uu.se

Description

The aim of the course is to give basic theoretical and practical knowledge of
vacuum technology and the equipment that is used in vacuum- and thin film technology. Vacuum processing equipment is necessary in various technological fields like physics, chemistry, materials science, electronics and nano technology. Moreover vacuum equipment is used to characterize and analyze samples from an even larger scientific sphere. To be able to use the vacuum based tools in an adequate way, one has to have an understanding of vacuum and related issues such as pressure measurement, pumping mechanisms and pumping speed, monolayer formation time, mean free path etc.

Content

The lectures (6-7 lectures in total) will focus on the following subjects: Definition of pressure and how it can be measured, the different gas flow regimes, the materials used in vacuum equipment, different vacuum pumps and manometers, construction of vacuum systems, and residual gas analysis.

Target group and recommended background

Graduate students active in the field of material science, thin film technology, chemistry, physics or other fields related to vacuum technology.

Assessment

Home exam

Course syllabus

FTN0706 Bioelectromagnetics

Credits: 5 ECTS

Course responsible: Robin Augustine, robin.augustine@angstrom.uu.se

Main field(s) of study and in-depth level: electronics, electromagnetism, physics,
engineering physics, biomedical engineering, medicine, biology and pharmacy.

Course period: Spring

Grading system: Pass or Fail

Seats: 40

Language for instruction: English

Established by: UU Graduate School

Applies from: week 36, 2023

Entry requirements: MSc in electronics, electromagnetism, physics, engineering physics, biomedical engineering, medicine, biology, and pharmacy. It is a PhD course, but Master students are also welcome to participate

Course overview

The course has been designed to introduce young scientists to the subject of
Bioelectromagnetics research and presents physics to the biologists and biology to the physicists. This course will help students to apply their apply knowledge in engineering to cutting-edge clinical applications: This course examines the biological effects of RF/microwaves and their medical applications. Students will discover new developments in therapeutic applications in such areas as cardiology, urology, surgery, ophthalmology, and oncology. The lecturer will present developing applications in such areas as cancer detection and organ imaging. The course features problem sets at the end of each chapter, making it an excellent introduction for bioengineering and engineering students. Researchers, physicians, and technicians in the field will also find this an excellent reference that offers all the fundamentals, the most cutting-edge applications, and insight into future developments.

Learning outcomes

• Understand Mechanisms of interaction between electromagnetic fields and biological systems.
• Get the foundations of the experimental approach in the context of health risk assessment and exposure standard setting.
• Get updated with state-of-the-art techniques in dosimetry.
• Able to write their assessment on research findings which are in favor of or opposing biological effects of electromagnetic radiation.

Target groups

PhD students from Dept. of Electrical Engineering, Dept. of Medicinal Chemistry, Dept. of Biology, Div. of Polymer Chemistry, Div. of Materials in Medicine, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Dept. of Humanities, Dept. of Geology, Dept. of Evol. Biology, Dept. of Radiology, Oncology and Radiation Science. It is a PhD course, but Master students are also welcome to participate.

Contents that the course will follow

• Fundamentals in Electromagnetics--examines penetration of RF/microwaves into biological tissues; skin effect; relaxation effects in materials and the Cole-Cole model (display); the near field of an antenna; blackbody radiation and the various associated laws; and microwave measurements.
• RF/Microwave Interaction Mechanisms in Biological Materials--includes a section devoted to the fundamentals of thermodynamics and a discussion on energy and entropy.
• Biological Effects--investigates the effects of radio frequency fields on the nervous system, the brain and spinal cord, the blood-brain barrier, and cells and membranes.
• Thermal Therapy--includes a description of applicators and an extensive discussion on the foundation of dielectric and inductive heating.
• EM-Wave Absorbers Protecting the Biological and Medical Environment--investigates materials for EM-wave absorbers from both a theoretical and applications perspective. Special attention is given to ferrite absorbers.
• RF/Microwave Delivery Systems for Therapeutic Applications--begins with the
  fundamental features of major components used in RF/microwave delivery systems for therapeutic applications. New research towards the development of future measurement techniques will also be presented.

Course syllabus

FTN0550 CMOS Analog IC Design

Credits: 5 ECTS

Course responsible and instructor: Ted Johansson, ted.johansson@angstrom.uu.se

Main fields of study: Electronics, engineering sciences, physics, engineering physics.

Course period: 4th academic period starting from mid-April 2024.

Availability: Probably good to limit to 5 students since it is the first time for this course and the newly installed design tools.

Language for instruction: English.

Requirements: MSc education or equivalent in physics, engineering physics or electrical engineering. Basic courses in electronics, especially analog design and circuit analysis. Understanding CMOS process flows and devices, e.g. part of our course FTN0456 Device Design and Fabrication, is also good.

Grading system: Pass or Fail.

Aim and scope

At the Division of Solid-State Electronics, we know almost everything about how semiconductor devices work and how to fabricate them. But the next level, to take an analog circuit schematic to a verified chip layout, to be fabricated in a commercial foundry somewhere in the world, is a completely different story!

Although analog circuits themselves may not be very complex, there are many steps and complicated tools in the design flow from the initial circuit schematic to that the verified mask data can be sent to a foundry. This includes simulation with selected foundry devices and models, geometrical layout, design rule checking (DRC) and other verifications (e.g. ERC, LVS, PEX) to ensure that the schematic and chip layout actually represent the same circuit, and how the circuit are influenced by extracted parasitics from the layout (PEX).

The focus of this course is to learn the steps of analog chip design using open-source design tools and open-source foundry information, which is new in the IC design business. The focus will not on the circuit design or theory, although you need to know the basic of e.g. analog amplifiers, but the understanding the devices of a commercial CMOS foundry process (Skywater 130 nm), the design flow and tools for design, simulation, layout, verification, and mask data generation.

Learning goals

After completing the course, the students should be able to:

• Describe IC design steps, CMOS processes and nodes, chip fabrication as a business (foundry)
• Use schematic circuit tools, in particular open-source tool xschem.
• Implement analog circuits using foundry device libraries.
• Simulate analog circuit using spice, in particular open source tool ngspice in combination with xschem.
• Use circuit layout tools, in particular open-source tool magic and klayout.
• Use tools for verifications of schematics, layouts, and parasitic extraction.
• Use tools for generating and inspecting mask data to be sent to a foundry.

Scheme and requirements

• 8 × 2 hours of lectures.
• 6 × 2 hours of simulation labs (supervised).
  
• 10 hours of assignment work (CMOS circuit design, layout, verifications) and report.
  

To pass the course, participation in all lectures is required, the labs can be done in
supervised session or by your own (a follow-up with the supervisor is required), and finally a report describing your verified chip design

Assignment

Your task is to design a small two-transistor circuit (*) (design = some basic simulations to verify reasonable function, not optimized), then do a DRC-clean layout (including 100x100 um pads) with the sky130 PDK. The LVS should ”match” (although small property errors in component values are acceptable), and finally you generate the GDS file and read/check it with KLayout.

Document (summarize) your work in a report and upload it using Assignments in Studium. Also submit the gds file (compressed as a .tgz file) together with the report (pdf) and upload in Studium.

(*) select any of the circuits #2, 7, 8, 9 - 13, 15 - 45, 47 - 50 from Pretl_MSSC21.pdf (doi: 0.1109/MSSC.2021.3088968), also available at the Modules | Assignments work section in Studium.