Optical and X-Ray Characterization (Coursera)

Optical and X-Ray Characterization (Coursera)

Optical and X-ray techniques are powerful ways to characterize semiconductor thin films. They can be used to measure film thickness, purity and crystalline quality, and for compositional analysis. Modern techniques are fast, turn-key, and generally non-destructive, allowing for rapid assessment of material properties. This course describes the fundamentals of optical and X-ray characterization and provides real-world examples of how they are used in semiconductor manufacturing.

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

  • Describe the use of light to measure the thickness and refractive index of thin transparent films.
  • Explain how light is absorbed and emitted by semiconductors.
  • Explain the advantages and limitations of optical and X-ray characterization.

Syllabus

Course Introduction
Optical and X-ray techniques are powerful ways to characterize semiconductor thin films. They can be used to measure film thickness, purity and crystalline quality, and for compositional analysis. Modern techniques are fast, turn-key, and generally non-destructive, allowing for rapid assessment of material properties. This course describes the fundamentals of optical and X-ray characterization and provides real-world examples of how they are used in semiconductor manufacturing.

Week 5.1: Reflectance Spectroscopy
This week introduces the concept of reflectance spectroscopy: a rapid, convenient, and non-destructive technique for measuring the thickness of transparent materials.

Week 5.2: Ellipsometry
This week, you will learn about ellipsometry, a powerful technique that allows us to extract the thickness and refractive index of transparent layers as thin as a few nanometers.

Week 5.3: Photoluminescence
This week, you will learn about photoluminescence.

Week 5.4: Electron Microprobe X-Ray Analysis
This week, you will learn about electron microprobe X-ray analysis.

Week 5.5: Course Wrap-up and Project
This week, you will complete a case study to assess your ability to analyze electron microprobe x-ray images to determine the constituent elements in a 40 nm MOSFET.

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

Related Courses

High Voltage Schottky and p-n Diodes (Coursera) Coursera
University of Colorado Boulder

High Voltage Schottky and p-n Diodes (Coursera)

This course can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA 5722, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering. This course is primarily aimed at first year graduate students interested in engineering or science, along with professionals with an interest in power electronics and semiconductor devices .

Sep 21st 2026
4 Weeks
Cómo entrenar a tus electrones 2: Diodos y Transistores (Coursera) Coursera
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Cómo entrenar a tus electrones 2: Diodos y Transistores (Coursera)

La electrónica ha respaldado el desarrollo científico y tecnológico de la humanidad, ostentando un rol clave en los últimos 50 años. Nos admiramos de la capacidad del ser humano de diseñar circuitos integrados que contienen millones de transistores y que nos permiten procesar con gran precisión las señales más débiles provenientes de las antenas de telefonía celular, de las neuronas del cerebro, de una cámara digital, o de la carga depositada por partículas subatómicas que colisionan en el Gran Colisionador de Hadrones en Suiza.

Sep 21st 2026
4 Weeks
Voyage au cœur du vivant avec les rayons X : la cristallographie (FUN) FUN
Université Paris-Saclay

Voyage au cœur du vivant avec les rayons X : la cristallographie (FUN)

L’utilisation des structures tridimensionnelles de macromolécules biologiques fait partie du quotidien d’un grand nombre de biologistes. Ces structures permettent de comprendre leur fonctionnement, de dessiner des mutants pour étudier leur fonction, de dessiner des molécules pour les bloquer ou les activer. L’approche majeure pour résoudre la structure tridimensionnelle de macromolécules biologiques est la cristallographie aux rayons X. Ce MOOC est une initiation complète à la cristallographie biologique : depuis l'histoire de la méthode jusqu'à ses outils concrets.Nous vous transmettons nos connaissances et notre expérience par le biais de vidéos théoriques et en situation.

No sessions available
5-12 Weeks
Surface Science: Methods of Surface Analysis (edX) EdX
National Research Nuclear University MEPhI,MEPhIx

Surface Science: Methods of Surface Analysis (edX)

Discover contemporary surface analysis techniques and learn how to choose the right method for your research. There is a vast variety of contemporary surface analysis methods that you can use for your research. If you are not sure which one is right for you, or if you want to obtain the right information about different surface analysis techniques, then this course is for you!

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Introduction to Biomedical Imaging (edX) EdX
University of Queensland,UQx

Introduction to Biomedical Imaging (edX)

Discover how biomedical imaging technologies are complementary and what information they provide to health professionals. Imaging technologies form a significant component of the health budgets of all developed economies, and most people need advanced imaging such as MRIs, X-Rays and CT Scans (or CAT Scans) during their life. Many of us are aware of the misinformation sometimes offered in TV dramas, which either exaggerates the benefits or overemphasizes the risks.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Introduction to Semiconductor Devices 2 (Coursera) Coursera
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology - KAIST

Introduction to Semiconductor Devices 2 (Coursera)

This course aims to provide a general understanding of semiconductor devices. This coures covers the Metal-Semiconductor Contact, Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) capapcitor, Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors(MOSFETs), CMOS, Metal-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors(MESFETs), Memory and Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) to improve the overall knowledge of semiconductor industry.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks
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.

Sep 28th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Light Emitting Diodes and Semiconductor Lasers (Coursera) Coursera
University of Colorado Boulder

Light Emitting Diodes and Semiconductor Lasers (Coursera)

You will learn about semiconductor light emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers, and the important rules for their analysis, planning, design, and implementation. You will also apply your knowledge through challenging homework problem sets to cement your understanding of the material and prepare you to apply in your career.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Electrical Characterization: MOSFETs (Coursera) Coursera
Arizona State University

Electrical Characterization: MOSFETs (Coursera)

MOSFET transistor switches are the workhorse of semiconductor-based electronics. In this course, we begin with MOS capacitors and see how to extract the oxide charge density, which is important for controlling the MOSFET threshold voltage. We then review MOSFET electrical characteristics and see how current-voltage measurements are used to determine the threshold voltage. The course project uses real-world data to extract the threshold voltage of a 40 nm gate length MOSFET designed for 5G radio frequency integrated circuits.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Shape and Property Control of Metals I & II (Coursera) Coursera
Arizona State University

Shape and Property Control of Metals I & II (Coursera)

This course introduces students to the basic concepts of shaping materials and their impacts on properties and structure. An introduction to the fundamentals of diffusion in a solid follows. We present different types of diffusion mechanisms and their dependence on temperature. The role of dislocation on mechanical properties and how it can be used to strengthen materials will be shown.

Sep 21st 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.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks