| Aim of Module | To introduce students to semiconductor materials and the principles of semiconductor devices. |
| Credits | 14 |
| Student Learning hours | 140 |
| Content Revised | pre 1996 |
| Prescription Expiry Date | Nov 2007 |
| Topics | Highest Skill Level | Suggested Assessment Percentage | |
| 1 Semiconductor Materials | C | 5 | |
| 2 Diodes | C | 10 | |
| 3 Bipolar Transistors | C | 35 | |
| 4 Unipolar Transistors | C | 35 | |
| 5 Thyrisitors, Diacs, Triacs and Unijunction Transistors | C | 15 | |
| 100 | |||
| 1 | Semiconductor Materials |
| > | The student will understand the atomic structure of semiconductor materials this will include: | |
| R | 1.1 | States the order of resistivities of conductors, insulators and semi-conductors. |
| 1.2 | Sketches curves of resistance to base of temperature, for conductors, insulators and semi-conductors. | |
| C | 1.3 | Understands the principles of silicon and germanium semi-conductor materials. |
| 1.4 | Explains doping of semi-conductor materials. | |
| R | 1.5 | Identifies p type and n type materials. |
| 2 | Diodes |
| > | The student will understand the consruction and characteristics of a diode. This will include: | |
| R | 2.1 | Sketches the construction of a diode and explains that the junction occurs by the fusion of the two materials. |
| 2.2 | Draws the circuit symbol for a p-n junction indicating conventional and electron current flow paths. | |
| 2.3 | Sketches curves of current against forward and reverse bias voltage for a diode. | |
| C | 2.4 | Explains the depletion area and the operation of the diode. |
| 3 | Bipolar Transistors |
| > | The student will understand the constuction and characteristics of bi-polar transistors. This will include: | |
| R | 3.1 | Sketches the physical construction of typical n-p-n transistors. |
| 3.2 | Identifies a forward biased base-emitter junction. | |
| 3.3 | Identifies a reverse biased base-collector junction. | |
| 3.4 | Draws a sketch for basic transistor action to show forward biased base-emitter junction and reverse biased base-collector junction. | |
| C | 3.5 | Describes the transistor action for both a p-n-p and a n-p-n arrangement and their charactesristic family of curves. |
| 3.6 | Describes the leakage current effects. | |
| R | 3.7 | Identifies the p-n-p and n-p-n transistor symbols. |
| 3.8 | Indicates the correct potential at the collector base and emitter on a sketch of the symbols. | |
| C | 3.9 | Explains the electron current flow paths using the p-n-p and n-p-n transistor symbols. |
| 3.10 | Describes how transistors can be connected in the following configurations: | |
| -common base | ||
| -common emitter | ||
| -common collector (emitter follower) | ||
| 4 | Unipolar Transistors |
| > | The student will understand the construction operation and characteristics of unipolar transistors. This will include: | |
| R | 4.1 | Defining a unipolar transistor. |
| 4.2 | Sketching the construction of JFETs and MOSFETs. | |
| C | 4.3 | Describing the operation and the characteristics of enhancement and depletion mode of JFETs and MOSFETs. |
| R | 4.4 | Producing and correctly labelling the symbols of JFETs and MOSFETs. |
| 5 | Thyrisitors, Diacs, Triacs and Unijunction Transistors |
| > | Explain the action of the thyristor, diac, triac and unijunction transistors.This will include: | |
| R | 5.1 | Sketching the characteristic of a thyristor. |
| C | 5.2 | Explaining the action of a thyristor in terms of the two-transistor model. |
| 5.3 | Describing the action of the diac, triac and unijunction transistor. | |
| Note | ||
| > | The characteristics of the devices should be demonstrated by laboratory experiments. | |