This Level 4 elective course in materials science and engineering introduces students to materials selection and optimisation strategies for existing and future electronic devices.
The course commences with an outline of the various classes of materials, and their structure-property relationships, used in various functional devices, including semiconductors and superconductors, and magnetic, spintronic, ferroelectric, piezoelectric and two-dimensional materials. Applications of these materials in devices such as diodes, transistors, sensors, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and non-volatile memory is discussed. The course then covers the principal fabrication methods for electronic devices, including single crystal growth and purification, implantation, lithography and etching, and thin film growth. In addition, practical aspects of device fabrication and performance, including defect engineering, methods of device packaging, sources of failure, and methods of fault diagnosis in devices will be covered.
The selection of particular materials and fabrication processes for electronic applications will be contextualised through case studies relating to applications of devices in, for example, the internet of things (IoT), computing systems, communication systems, health care and environmental monitoring.
The course includes lectures, laboratory activities, a group project, and exams.
Previous knowledge of chemistry, physics, and physical properties of materials developed in previous studies will be built upon in this course.
