Electron and Ion Beam Characterization (Coursera)

Electron and Ion Beam Characterization (Coursera)

Electron and ion beams are widely used for both qualitative and quantitative analysis of semiconductor materials and devices. They can be used to image structures with sub-nm resolution and to provide information about elemental composition and dopant concentration. This course describes the fundamentals of electron and ion beam characterization and includes a project that analyzes the surface roughness of a solar cell.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

This course is part of the Semiconductor Characterization Specialization.

What you'll learn

  • Explain the interaction of electron and ion beams with semiconductor materials.
  • Describe the constituent components of electron and ion beam characterization systems.
  • Describe applications of electron and ion beam characterization.

Syllabus

Course Introduction
Electron and ion beams are widely used for both qualitative and quantitative analysis of semiconductor materials and devices. They can be used to image structures with sub-nm resolution and to provide information about elemental composition and dopant concentration. This course describes the fundamentals of electron and ion beam characterization and includes a project that analyzes the surface roughness of a solar cell.

Week 4.1: Scanning Electron Microscopy
This week introduces the concepts of scanning electron microscopy and how it is used for both qualitative and quantitative sample analysis.

Week 4.2: Auger Electron Spectroscopy
This week, you will learn about Auger electron emission spectroscopy, a powerful technique for surface analysis.

Week 4.3: Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy
This week, you will learn about secondary ion mass spectroscopy and how it is used to measure the concentration and distribution of constituent materials in semiconductors.

Week 4.4: Course Wrap-up and Project
This week, you will complete a case study to assess your ability to use images obtained from an SEM for quantitative surface analysis.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

AstroTech: The Science and Technology behind Astronomical Discovery (Coursera) Coursera
University of Edinburgh

AstroTech: The Science and Technology behind Astronomical Discovery (Coursera)

Modern astronomy has made some astonishing discoveries - how stars burn and how black holes form; galaxies from the edge of the universe and killer rocks right next door; where the elements come from and how the expanding universe is accelerating. But how do we know all that? The truth is that astronomy would be impossible without technology, and every advance in astronomy is really an advance in technology. But the technology by itself is not enough. We have to apply it critically with a knowledge of physics to unlock the secrets of the Universe.

Jul 27th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Introduction to Semiconductor Process 2 (Coursera) Coursera
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology - KAIST

Introduction to Semiconductor Process 2 (Coursera)

This course aims to provide a general understanding of semiconductor process. This course explores the principles and basic theory of semiconductor device and process. Furthermore, the students will learn the overall semiconductor process such as oxidation, diffusion, ion implantation, lithography, etching, thin film deposition, plasma, metallization, and packaging.

Jul 27th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Quantum Mechanics of Molecular Structures (edX) EdX
The University of Tokyo,UTokyoX

Quantum Mechanics of Molecular Structures (edX)

Learn two methods used to determine molecular structures and their properties in this introduction to Quantum Mechanics. Knowing the geometrical structure of the molecules around us is one of the most important and fundamental issues in the field of chemistry. This course introduces the two primary methods used to determine the geometrical structure of molecules: molecular spectroscopy and gas electron diffraction.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Synchrotrons and X-Ray Free Electron Lasers (part 2) (edX) EdX
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne,EPFLx

Synchrotrons and X-Ray Free Electron Lasers (part 2) (edX)

The first MOOC to provide an extensive introduction to synchrotron and XFEL facilities and associated techniques and applications. Are you interested in investigating materials and their properties with unsurpassed accuracy and fidelity? Synchrotrons and XFELs count as Science’s premier microscopic tool in scientific endeavours as diverse as molecular biology, environmental science, cultural heritage, catalytical chemistry, and the electronic properties of novel materials, to name but a few examples.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Materials Science: 10 Things Every Engineer Should Know (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Davis

Materials Science: 10 Things Every Engineer Should Know (Coursera)

We explore “10 things” that range from the menu of materials available to engineers in their profession to the many mechanical and electrical properties of materials important to their use in various engineering fields. We also discuss the principles behind the manufacturing of those materials. By the end of the course, you will be able to: recognize the important aspects of the materials used in modern engineering applications; explain the underlying principle of materials science: “structure leads to properties,”; identify the role of thermally activated processes in many of these important “things” – as illustrated by the Arrhenius relationship; relate each of these topics to issues that have arisen (or potentially could arise) in your life and work.

Aug 3rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Electrical Properties and Semiconductors (Coursera) Coursera
Arizona State University

Electrical Properties and Semiconductors (Coursera)

In this course, we will explore the electrical properties of materials and classify different materials as conductors, semiconductors or insulators. We will look at some examples of conductors, semiconductors and insulators, and note the key factors that cause the differences in their electrical properties. We will use rudimentary band theory to show how temperature impacts the conductivity of the three classifications of materials. We will learn what causes the differences in electrical behavior of a p-type versus an n-type semiconductor in a p-n diode.

Jul 27th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Smart Materials: Microscale and Macroscale Approaches (Coursera) Coursera
Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University

Smart Materials: Microscale and Macroscale Approaches (Coursera)

Smart materials represent a cutting-edge global trend both in fundamental science and emerging technologies. Smart materials science is a truly interdisciplinary area at the intersection of physics, chemistry, chemical engineering, mathematical simulations, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and etc. An online course in smart materials will be of obvious interest for everyone who is interested in modern materials science and emerging trends in engineering, biotechnology, and medicine. A broad variety of materials are actually considered as smart ones: from shape memory alloys to polymer nanosystems. We expect that the Coursera audience will benefit from a compact and simple online course that integrates specific modern aspects and trends of fabrication, modification, characterization, and applications of smart materials.

Jul 18th 2022
5-12 Weeks
Physics of silicon solar cells (Coursera) Coursera
École Polytechnique

Physics of silicon solar cells (Coursera)

The first MOOC “Photovoltaic solar energy” is a general presentation of the solar photovoltaics technologies in the global energetic context, without extensive details. In particular the description of the solar cell operation is restricted to the ideal case. In contrast this second MOOC allows a deep understanding of the properties of solar cells based on crystalline semiconductors.

Aug 3rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Fundamentals of Semiconductor Characterization (Coursera) Coursera
Arizona State University

Fundamentals of Semiconductor Characterization (Coursera)

The goal of this course is to review the fundamentals of semiconductor materials, p-n junction diodes, and MOS capacitors. There are many semiconductor technologies based on different material systems, but the most important is complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor, or CMOS for short. This course will focus on semiconductor materials and devices relevant to CMOS manufacturing, but the concepts can be applied much more broadly.

Aug 3rd 2026
4 Weeks
Advanced Semiconductor Packaging (Coursera) Coursera
Arizona State University

Advanced Semiconductor Packaging (Coursera)

Throughout this course, you will be introduced to Pathway for Assembly and Packaging technologies for 7-nanometer silicon feature sizes and beyond. The course will present the evolution and impact of packaging on product performance and innovation. Specifically, we highlight how packaging has enabled better products via the use of heterogeneous integration by improving the interconnects for thermal management and signal integrity.

Jul 27th 2026
5-12 Weeks
The Diversity of Exoplanets (Coursera) Coursera
University of Geneva

The Diversity of Exoplanets (Coursera)

In this MOOC, you will have the opportunity to practice several methods of detection and characterisation of exoplanets. You will discover their statistical properties and the current state of knowledge we have in this very recent field of research. You will also understand the limitations and biases of the different detection techniques.

Jul 27th 2026
5-12 Weeks
General Chemistry: Concept Development and Application (Coursera) Coursera
Rice University

General Chemistry: Concept Development and Application (Coursera)

This course will cover the topics of a full year, two semester General Chemistry course. We will use a free on-line textbook, Concept Development Studies in Chemistry, available via Rice’s Connexions project. The fundamental concepts in the course will be introduced via the Concept Development Approach developed at Rice University. In this approach, we will develop the concepts you need to know from experimental observations and scientific reasoning rather than simply telling you the concepts and then asking you to simply memorize or apply them.

Jul 27th 2026
5-12 Weeks