Course Syllabi
In Appendix A, include a syllabus for each course used to satisfy the mathematics, science, and
discipline-specific requirements required by Criterion 5 or any applicable Program Criteria. The
syllabi format should be consistent for each course, must not exceed two pages per course, and,
at a minimum, contain the following information:

Department, course number, and title of course

Designation as a Required or Elective course

Course (catalog) description

Prerequisites

Textbook(s) and/or other required material

Course learning outcomes

Topics covered
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Class/laboratory schedule, i.e., number of sessions each week and duration of each
session
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Contribution of course to meeting the requirements of Criterion 5
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Relationship of course to Program Outcomes

Person(s) who prepared this description and date of preparation
106760476
Materials Engineering 153
San Jose State University
Spring 2005
Materials Engineering 153
Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Properties of Solids
Syllabus prepared by Dr. Emily Allen, February 18, 2005
MatE 153 is a required course for MatE and EE majors. Other Engineering or Science majors
with proper prerequisites are welcome to enroll. This course may be taken as part of a 12-unit
sequence in electronic materials for a Minor in Materials Science and Engineering.
MatE Program Outcomes Supported:
1.1 Can distinguish between and identify the structure of metals, ceramics, polymers and
semiconductors.
1.2 Can infer and predict materials properties based on knowledge of materials structure.
1.3 Can measure and identify the materials properties appropriate to a specific application (e.g.
mechanical, electrical, etc.)
2.3 Can analyze results of experiments using appropriate theoretical and empirical models.
Contribution of course to meeting the professional component for MatE:
This course consists mainly of engineering science although there are a few elements of
engineering design sprinkled throughout the course assignments and laboratory exercises. The
material in the course is on electronic and magnetic materials used in engineering applications,
with particular emphasis on semiconductor materials and devices. Introductory level quantum
mechanics and differential equations are used to describe various phenomenon in materials used
in electrical and magnetic and optical devices and systems.
Catalog Description
Crystalline and energy band structure of materials, thermal properties and electrical conduction
in semiconductors and metals, optical and magnetic properties of solids.
Prerequisite: Phys 51 or 71; Chem 1A; EE 98 and Math 133A. Lecture 2 hours/lab 3 hours.
Two 50-minute lectures sessions and one 3-hour lab section per week.
Required Textbook: S. O. Kasap, Principles of Electronic Materials and Devices, McGraw Hill,
2002, 2nd Edition.
Required MatE 153 Laboratory Notes
Required Lab Notebook: It must be bound (not spiral) and have quad-ruled paper (graph paper).
Course Objectives
The objective of Materials Engineering 153 is to provide an environment for engineering
students to learn about some of the properties of materials which contribute to their usefulness in
modern electronic, optical and magnetic devices. Mastery of the course learning objectives will
establish the basis for understanding how crystalline and electronic structure determine material
and device behavior. The lecture and laboratory will provide an introduction to the behavior of
electrons in solids, emphasizing their effects on the electronic, magnetic, and optical properties.
This is an undergraduate course; graduate students should take MatE 215. The course has a
special focus on semiconductor materials. The course is a strict pre-requisite for EE 128.
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Materials Engineering 153
San Jose State University
Spring 2005
Topics (Major Learning Objectives)
 Atomic Bonding
 Crystal structure
 Defects in crystals,
 Wave and particle properties of a photon
 Photon interactions with electrons in bound system
 Properties of a free electron
 Properties of an electron confined by an infinite square well potential (electron-ina-box).
 Properties of an electron in a hydrogenic atom
 Angular momentum (orbital and spin) of an electron
 Scattering of electrons by defects in crystals
 Conductivity in metals and semiconductors
 Energy Band Structure of Solids
 Density of States
 Fermi-Dirac Statistics
 Free carrier concentration
 Influence of impurities on free carrier concentration (semiconductors)
 Photoconductivity in semiconductors
 Drift and Diffusion
 Optical absorption and emission
 Junction Diodes
 Magnetic properties of an atom and a solid
 Ferro-, Ferri- and Paramagnetic substances
 Characteristics of hysteresis loops
 Magnetic Recording fundamentals
Laboratory Experiments and Activities
 Hall Effect Measurement
 Temperature Effect on Conductivity for Metals and Semiconductors
 Photoconductivity/Minority Carrier Lifetime in Semiconductors
 Optical Absorption Measurement of Semiconductor Bandgap
 Characterization of Magnetic Materials
 Linear Regression of Data
 Crystal Structures
 Microelectronics Fabrication
 Characterization of PN Junction Diodes (LEDs and Photovoltaic Cells)
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