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402-0595-00L 6 Credits BSC , DR , MSC D-CHAB , D-MATL , D-PHYS , D-MAVT , D-ITET
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Semiconductor Nanostructures

Lecturers & Examiners: Prof. Dr. Thomas Markus Ihn
VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-06-01 11:30:58

Abstract

The course covers the foundations of semiconductor nanostructures, e.g., materials, band structures, bandgap engineering and doping, field-effect transistors. The physics of the quantum Hall effect and of common nanostructures based on two-dimensional electron gases will be discussed, i.e., quantum point contacts, Aharonov-Bohm rings and quantum dots.

Objective

At the end of the lecture the student should understand four key phenomena of electron transport in semiconductor nanostructures: 1. The integer quantum Hall effect 2. Conductance quantization in quantum point contacts 3. the Aharonov-Bohm effect 4. Coulomb blockade in quantum dots

Content

1. Introduction and overview 2. Semiconductor crystals: Fabrication and molecular beam epitaxy 3. Band structures of semiconductors 4. k.p-theory, effective mass, envelope functions 5. Heterostructures and band engineering, doping 6. Surfaces and metal-semiconductor contacts, fabrication of semiconductor nanostructures 7. Heterostructures and two-dimensional electron gases 8. Drude Transport and scattering mechanisms 9. Single- and bilayer graphene 10. Electron transport in quantum point contacts; Landauer-Büttiker description, ballistic transport experiments 11. Interference effects in Aharonov-Bohm rings 12. Electron in a magnetic field, Shubnikov-de Haas effect 13. Integer quantum Hall effect 14. Coulomb blockade and quantum dots

Resources

Lecture Notes

T. Ihn, Semiconductor Nanostructures, Quantum States and Electronic Transport, Oxford University Press, 2010.

Literature

In addition to the lecture notes, the following supplementary books can be recommended: 1. J. H. Davies: The Physics of Low-Dimensional Semiconductors, Cambridge University Press (1998) 2. S. Datta: Electronic Transport in Mesoscopic Systems, Cambridge University Press (1997) 3. D. Ferry: Transport in Nanostructures, Cambridge University Press (1997) 4. T. M. Heinzel: Mesoscopic Electronics in Solid State Nanostructures: an Introduction, Wiley-VCH (2003) 5. Beenakker, van Houten: Quantum Transport in Semiconductor Nanostructures, in: Semiconductor Heterostructures and Nanostructures, Academic Press (1991) 6. Y. Imry: Introduction to Mesoscopic Physics, Oxford University Press (1997)

Learning Materials (Links)

General Information

Language
English
Levels
BSC , DR , MSC
Frequency
Yearly recurring

Examination

Type
session examination
Mode
oral 20 minutes
Obligatorisches Leistungselement: ein Vortrag über eine Publikation aus der Forschung, Termin nach Absprache während der Übung, Bewertung gemäss pass/fail.Es wird sehr empfohlen, die wöchentlichen Übungsaufgaben zu lösen.Prüfungssprache: Deutsch oder Englisch.Language of examination: English or German.

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
lecture Semiconductor Nanostructures
  • Thu 11:45-13:30 (HCI J 7)
2 h weekly
exercise Semiconductor Nanostructures
or by appointment
  • Mon 11:45-12:30 (HIT F 32)
  • Wed 08:45-09:30 (HPT C 103)
  • 22.10 Date 08:45-09:30 (HPV G 5)
1 h weekly

Offered In