Textbooks, course contents and grading policy for ELL 211 (Spring

2020)

Instructor - Debanjan Bhowmik

Textbooks-

1. Semiconductor Device Fundamentals by Robert Pierret

2. Modern Semiconductor Devices for Integrated Circuits by Chenming Hu

(specifically for short channel effects in MOSFET)

Reference books-

1. Solid State Physics by Charles Kittel (for better understanding of crystal

properties and energy-band diagram of Silicon)

2. Modern VLSI devices by Taur and Ning (for circuit application of devices)

Course Contents-

Module 1- How better transistor makes a better computer

von Neumann architecture showing separation of memory and computing

Processor, logic circuits inside processor, CMOS, inverter , NAND and NOR
circuits with CMOS, how a better transistor makes a better processor, recent
trends in processor technology, need for better transistor

Memory, how transistors are used in SRAM and DRAM, how a better
transistor makes a better memory, recent trends in memory, non volatile
memory

New kind of computing called in-memory computing, in-memory computing

using volatile and non-volatile memory

Module 2A- Semiconductor physics: carrier types and concentrations

Basic material for transistor is Si (semiconductor), description of crystal
structure of Si, energy bands and band gap, electron , hole, doping, Density
of states, Fermi level, equilibrium carrier concentrations (intrinsic),

How Fermi level and carrier concentration changes with doping

Module 2B- Semiconductor physics: carrier mobility

Drift, mobility, diffusion, recombination generation, continuity equation

Module 3A- p-n junction

Energy band diagram of pn junction, Poisson’s equation, built in potential

derivation, depletion width derivation, qualitative explanation of why p-n
junction conducts current in one direction, p-n junction under bias, derivation
of ideal diode equation, RG current, breakdown mechanisms under reverse
bias, I-V characteristic

Module 3B- M-S junction

Band diagram of MS junction, derivation of built in potential and depletion

width, I-V characteristic

Module 3C- MOS capacitor

Band diagram of MOS cap, derivation of threshold voltage above which

inversion layer will be formed, Capacitance - voltage characteristic of
MOScap as function of frequency, non idealities of MOScap

Module 4A- Long channel MOSFET

Energy band diagram of long channel MOSFET, derivation for square law
model, Sub-threshold characteristic, sub-threshold swing, body effect

Module 4B- Short channel MOSFET

Advantage of MOSFET scaling, constant field and constant voltage scaling,

issues with scaling , short channel effects: Drain Induced Barrier Lowering
(DIBL), channel length modulation, velocity saturation, effect of short channel
on Vt, velocity overshoot, trade-offs in scaling taking all these factors in
consideration

If time permits we will also discuss different topics in Module 5 below:

Module 5A- Performance of processor and memory circuits based on

the conventional MOSFET design discussed so far

Review of CMOS NAND, NOR , inverter circuits based on MOSFET, speed,

noise margin, layout, parasitics, interconnects, interconnect resistance and
capacitance and scaling, Recent trends in scaling, discussion from ITRS
roadmap, different issues

Module 5B- Alternative devices to conventional MOSFET

TunnelFET, Negative Capacitance based ferroelectric FET, spintronic devices

Module 5C- Alternative computing scheme to conventional von

Neumann computing

Introduction to neuromorphic computing

Grading Policy-

25 points for Minor 1

25 points for Minor 2

40 points for Major

10 points for Surprise Quizzes

Attendance Policy-

“The Course Coordinator can assign 10% of the total marks to surprise quiz(zes).
If attendance of the student is greater than 90%, result of the best three quizzes
will be considered, else average of all quizzes will be considered.”
- from Course of Study, IIT Delhi