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NE 242Semiconductor Physics and Devices

Units
0.50
Faculty
Engineering
Subject
Nanotechnology Engineering

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 2 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

Introduction to the physical principles and electrical behaviour of semiconductor materials and devices: electronic band structure, charge carriers, doping, carrier transport, pn-junctions, metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors, transistors, and related optoelectronic devices (photodetectors, light emitting diodes, solar cells).

Prerequisites

Antirequisites

  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
    • ECE231 - Semiconductor Physics and Devices (0.50)

Leads to

Reviewed on UW Flow

71% liked it40% easy83% useful

From 28 ratings and 5 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • Looking back it wasn't that bad, but the material was very dense. Lots of studying required. Keep your units in mind.

    Aug 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • If you go to the lecture and spend 100% of your energy, trying to understand what prof is saying, you are fine. If not, you will be struggling to find out that prof was trying to say by staring at is stupid handwriting for 20 hours and still dont get it.

    May 2026 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • The course was tough especially towards the end, but the course is essential about how much you can fit on your cheat sheet during the mid-term and finals.

    May 2023 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • This course is interesting, provided you can sift through the massive amount of raw calculations to focus on the core concepts. While this course is very useful and the concepts taught are crucial for further study in both nanotechnology and physics, be prepared to "git gud" at using your calculator at superhuman speeds.

    Aug 2017 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Material was taught well and assignments were straight forward if you attended tutorials and lectures. Midterm was OK, final was much more difficult than anticipated.

    Feb 2015 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

One post or comment in 1 thread mentions NE 242, August 2017 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Spring 2017

Still waiting for grades 1 point, 9 comments

“Anyone else still waiting for grades? Waiting for ece 124 and checking multiple times a day for the past week has started to get annoying edit: ayy lmao grade is finally out”

u/amaltz1: “Still waiting for last exam here (NE242)”

View on RedditRemove this

Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar