Teaching at UPenn
Noah P. Allen

Currently Offered Teachable Courses
Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering
  • ESE 111 - Atoms, Bits, Circuits and Systems
  • ESE 112 - Engineering Electromagnetics
  • ESE 190 - Silicon Garage: Introduction to Open Source Hardware and Software Platforms
  • ESE 215 - Electrical Circuits and Systems
  • ESE 218 - Electronic, Photonic, and Electromechanical Devices1
  • ESE 291 - Introduction to Electrical and Systems Engineering Research and Design
  • ESE 319 - Fundamentals of Solid-State Circuits
  • ESE 321 - Physics and Models of Semiconductor Devices
  • ESE 350 - Embedded Systems/Microcontroller Laboratory
  • ESE 450 - Senior Design Project I - EE and SSE
  • ESE 451 - Senior Design Project II - EE and SSE
  • ESE 460 - Principles of Microfabrication Technology
  • ESE 521 - The Physics of Solid State Energy Devices1
  • ESE 536 - Nanofabrication and Nanocharacterization
  • ESE 574 - The Principles and Practice of Microfabrication Technology
  • ESE 621 - Nanoelectronics1
1 Would require more time to review course topics and prepare



Proposed Courses
Power Semiconductor Material and Devices
Senior/Graduate

Lecture-based course where students learn the device structure capabilities and limitations for power electronic devices including PIN diodes, Schottky diodes, MOSFETs, and IGBTs. This course it targeted at graduate students interested in power electronic circuits who what to understand the physical and electrical characteristics of semiconductor devices which make them suitable for high power conversion applications.

Select List of Proposed Course Topics
  • Semiconductor Physics Review
  • Critical Field Strength and Breakdown Mechanics
  • Power Electronic Device Material (Si, SiC and GaN)
  • Schottky Diode Reverse Blocking and Forward Conduction
  • P-i-N Reverse Blocking and Forward Conduction
  • Power MOSFET Devices and Topology Considerations
  • Power IGBT Devices and Topology Considerations
  • Power Thyristor Devices and Topology Considerations
Semiconductor Material/Device Characterization
Senior/Graduate

Lecture-based course where students would apply theory learned in ESE 321 to understand how to measure and analyze real semiconductor devices such as diodes or transistors. The course would start with the basic measurement and extraction of electrical device parameters and work toward measuring and understanding possible causes of non-idealities through semiconductor material characterization. Students will come away from the course knowing the significance of specific instruments such as source-measurement units, impedance analyzers, electron microscopes, and optical components to effectively characterize semiconductor devices and materials.

Select List of Proposed Course Topics
  • Review of Basic Semiconductor Physics
  • Basic Equipment Communication and Programming
  • Electrical Characterization
    • Current-Voltage
    • Capacitance-Voltage
    • Temperature Measurements
    • Hall
  • Optical Characterization
    • Optical Equipment and Components
    • Photoluminescence
    • Steady-State Photocapacitance
  • Material Characterization
    • Atomic Force Microscopy
    • Electron Microscope (SEM and TEM)
    • X-Ray Spectroscopy (XRD, XPS)
    • Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS)
    • Rutherfor Backscattering
[SEMINAR] Electronic Defect Characterization in Semiconductors

Present techniques on measuring and analyzing trapping defects in semiconductors by deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), steady-state photocapacitance (SSPC), and photoluminescence (PL).

[SEMINAR] Cryogenic Material Characterization

Introduce concepts related to creating/maintaining a vacuum chamber and measuring semiconductor material and devices at cryogenic temperatures.

[SEMINAR] Using LabVIEW to Automate Measurements

Review LabVIEW programming methods used to communicate with newer and older research equipment to automate the measurement taking process. Some topics on data analysis and visualization would also be covered.