Course Development of “Semiconductor Innovations” Part 1: Course Overview

Professor John Dellesasse and graduate student Leah Espenhahn of the University of Illinois conducted a workshop on the development and implementation of a course on Commercial Leap Ahead Technologies. The course combined cutting-edge technology with active learning components. Course development was supported by the Silicon Crossroads Microelectronics Hub under Subagreement SA-22036, managed by the Applied Research Institute (ARI). 

The resource introduces a graduate‑level overview of the “Semiconductor Innovations” course, situating it within the broader microelectronics commons and the pressing need to understand technologies that drive commercial leap‑ahead in the semiconductor industry. By framing semiconductor progress as a continuum from invention to large‑scale productization, the video underscores the relevance of this perspective for both academic curricula and industry‑focused engineering programs.
The course is organized into two‑hour‑plus blocks that blend rigorous technical content with structured active‑learning segments. Core topics include the historical evolution of the transistor—from the 1947 point‑contact device to modern MOSFET architectures—as a canonical example of a commercial leap‑ahead, alongside contemporary focus areas such as wide‑band‑gap materials, heterogeneous integration, and other emerging semiconductor innovations. Lectures are interspersed with discussion‑driven activities, case‑study analyses, and reflective assessments designed to reinforce concepts and differentiate signal from hype. The design adheres to SCALE and Microelectronics Commons guidelines, ensuring that the material satisfies the requirements of a technical elective while fostering student engagement through frequent interactive components.