Semiconductor Devices & Technology
Source: https://www.utwente.nl/en/education/master/programmes/electrical-engineering/specialisation/semiconductor-devices-and-technology/ Parent: https://www.utwente.nl/en/education/master/programmes/electrical-engineering/
Explore sustainable materials and technologies to produce semiconductor devices, the essential components in today’s electronic devices and systems.
Semiconductor devices, namely transistors and diodes, are the building blocks of chips that make the world we live in. To meet the increasing demand for electronic devices, we mustexplore sustainable ways of producing them. It all starts with the choice of materials and technologies. How can we boost the energy efficiency of semiconductor devices? Are there alternative materials besides limited resources like copper and silver that we can use in their production? If you are interested in advancing semiconductor devices—improving their speed, energy efficiency, and sustainability through innovative materials and technologies—the specialisation in Semiconductor Devices & Technology is the perfect fit for you.
“How can we make electronics using less energy? For example, making a transistor in the lab entails the use of furnaces, often reaching temperatures of around 1,000 degrees centigrade. However, we are developing techniques that operate at a much lower temperature, promising substantial energy savings in the furnace.”
Prof. Dr. Jurriaan Schmitz, programme mentor Semiconductor Devices & Technology
What is Semiconductor Devices & Technology?
The focus of the specialisation is two-fold: you will learn todesignandfabricate functional semiconductor devicesincluding solar cells, transistors, and diodes. By delving into the process of constructing a semiconductor device layer by layer, you will ensure its enduring reliability. Working at the nanoscale level, you will conduct simulations and voltage-current measurements in a microfabrication labto analyse various design aspects. This involves investigating optimal materials and understanding how their performance shifts when the layer thickness or size changes. Furthermore, you will compare various manufacturing techniques, critically evaluating their film properties, cost-effectiveness, and reliability.
Examples of courses you will follow within this specialisation:
- Discover the intricate art of microfabrication: the critical processes behind the creation of microchips, solar cells, flat panel displays, and LEDs in the course Technology.
- Understand the physics behind power transistors and heterojunction bipolar transistors in the course Advanced Semiconductor Device Physics.
- What happens inside a microchip? How are the components inside a chip made? How do they work? Learn everything about the physics behind a microchip in the course Integrated Circuit Technology.
Thanks to our collaboration with ASMandASML, you will have the opportunity to work on assignments withreal-world applications. Consider the challenge ofdepositing ultra-thin layers onto semiconductor wafers, ensuring they have the best properties like excellent insulation or conductivity. What about investigating fabrication techniques for making transistors at lower temperatures, saving a lot of energy during production?
What will you learn?
As a graduate of the Master's in Electrical Engineering with a specialisation in Semiconductor Devices & Technology, you have acquired specific scientific knowledge, skills, and values that will help you in your future career.
Knowledge
After completing this Master’s specialisation, you:
- have an in-depth knowledge of how material properties and device architectures lead to the electronic performance of semiconductor devices;
- can design a miniaturised semiconductor device to attain its intended functionality;
- have a thorough understanding of how to do scientific research in the field of semiconductor devices.
Skills
After successfully finishing this Master’s specialisation, you:
- know how to measure the electrical properties of a device and relate these properties to the semiconductor theory;
- can work with finite element modelling tools to perform virtual experimentation on a computer;
- can work with semiconductor fabrication techniques in the cleanroom.
Values
After completing this Master’s specialisation, you:
- take objective approaches in natural science research;
- understand the implications of your work on society and strive for responsible, sustainable solutions;
- understand the intricacies of semiconductor devices and the importance of accuracy in designing and producing them.
WANT MORE INSIGHTS INTO THIS MASTER'S?
In this video, Jurriaan Schmitz, Programme Mentor of Semiconductor Devices & Technology, along with Simone Dulfer, student, and Vinny Hassan, PhD student, share insights into their experiences, the courses offered in the programme, research initiatives, the chip design process, applications of their work, and different job prospectives.
Other Master’s
Is this specialisation not exactly what you are looking for? Maybe one of the other specialisations suits you better. You can also find out more about related master’s at the University of Twente: