Credit Weighting: 10 (PG)

Teaching Period(s): Period 1

No. of Student(s): Max. 20

Pre-requisite(s): None

Co-requisite(s): None

Teaching Methods: 36 x 1hr(s) Lectures, 6 x 3hr(s) Practicals

Module Co-ordinator: Dr A. P. Morrison, Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering

Lecturer(s): Dr A. P. Morrison, Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering

Module Objective: To introduce and develop the basic ideas of semiconductor photodetectors, photomultipliers, solar cells and their applications.

Module Content: Optical absorption in semiconductors. Carrier transport. Physics of p-n junctions. Design of photodiodes, including MSM, p-n, and p-i-n photodiodes. Carrier impact ionization, noise, multiplication gain and avalanche photodiodes. Geiger-mode devices for photon counting, including photomultiplier tubes, microchannel plates and semiconductor photon counters. Imaging detector devices such as charge-coupled devices and APD arrays. Photodetection techniques, such as direct and coherent detection; balanced detectors. Solar cell structures and principles of operation. Infra-red and thermal detectors. Detector circuits and applications.

Assessment: Total marks 200: end of year written examination 100 marks; continuous assessment (in-term assigned work, midterm exam and laboratories) 100 marks.

Compulsory Elements: End of year written examination; laboratories; continuous assessment.

Penalties (for late submission of Course/Project Work etc.): Late submissions not accepted.

Pass Standard and any Special Requirements for Passing Module: 40%. Students must obtain at least 40% in each of the end of year written examination and continuous assessment components of the examination. For students who do not satisfy this requirement, the lower of the two marks, calculated as a percentage of the total mark for this module, will be returned.

End of Year Written Examination Profile: 1 x 3hr paper.

Requirements for Autumn Supplemental Examination: 1 x 3 hr(s) paper(s) to be taken in Autumn.

A pass mark for Continuous Assessment is carried forward (Marks in in-term Lab Work; Homework Assignments, labs etc). No supplemental examination offered unless a pass mask is achieved in the Continuous Assessment portion.