The Physics of Semiconductors: An Introduction Including Nanophysics and Applications (Graduate Texts in Physics)

The Physics of Semiconductors contains ample material for a comprehensive upper-level undergraduate or beginning graduate course, guiding readers to the point where they can choose a special topic and begin supervised research. The textbook provides a balance between essential aspects of solid-state and semiconductor physics, on the one hand, and the principles of various semiconductor devices and their applications in electronic and photonic devices, on the other. It highlights many practical aspects of semiconductors such as alloys, strain, heterostructures, nanostructures, that are necessary in modern semiconductor research but typically omitted in textbooks. Coverage also includes additional advanced topics, such as Bragg mirrors, resonators, polarized and magnetic semiconductors. The text derives explicit formulas for many results to support better understanding of the topics. The Physics of Semiconductors requires little or no prior knowledge of solid-state physics and evolved from a highly regarded two-semester course. In the second edition many topics are extended and treated in more depth. e.g. dopant diffusion, nanowires, recombination in organic semiconductors, multi-junction solar cells, quantum dot and organic LEDs, thin film transistors, carbon-based nanostructures and transparent conductive oxides. Semiconductorelectronicsiscommonplaceineveryhousehold.Semiconductor deviceshavealsoenabledeconomicallyreasonable?ber-basedopticalcom- nication, optical storage and high-frequency ampli?cation and have recently revolutionizedphotography,displaytechnologyandlighting.Alongwiththese tremendous technological developments, semiconductors have changed the way we work, communicate, entertain and think. The technological progress of semiconductor materials and devices is evolving continuously with a large worldwide e?ort in human and monetary capital. For students, semicond- tors o?er a rich, diverse and exciting ?eld with a great tradition and a bright future. This book introduces students to semiconductor physics and semicond- tor devices. It brings them to the point where they can specialize and enter supervisedlaboratoryresearch.Itisbasedonthetwosemestersemiconductor physics course taught at Universit ̈ at Leipzig in its Master of Science physics curriculum. Since the book can be followed with little or no pre-existing knowledge in solid-state physics and quantum mechanics, it is also suitable for undergraduate students. For the interested reader some additional topics are included in the book that can be covered in subsequent, more speci- ized courses. The material is selected to provide a balance between aspects of solid-state and semiconductor physics, the concepts of various semiconductor devices and modern applications in electronics and photonics. Front Matter....Pages i-xxxvii Introduction....Pages 1-16 Front Matter....Pages 17-17 Bonds....Pages 19-33 Crystals....Pages 35-71 Defects....Pages 73-102 Mechanical Properties....Pages 103-138 Band Structure....Pages 139-183 Electronic Defect States....Pages 185-233 Transport....Pages 235-263 Optical Properties....Pages 265-307 Recombination....Pages 309-344 Front Matter....Pages 345-345 Heterostructures....Pages 347-378 External Fields....Pages 379-395 Nanostructures....Pages 397-423 Polarized Semiconductors....Pages 425-439 Magnetic Semiconductors....Pages 441-449 Organic Semiconductors....Pages 451-463 Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes....Pages 465-479 Dielectric Structures....Pages 481-509 Transparent Conductive Oxide Semiconductors....Pages 511-515 Front Matter....Pages 517-517 Diodes....Pages 519-598 Front Matter....Pages 517-517 Light-to-Electricity Conversion....Pages 599-651 Electricity-to-Light Conversion....Pages 653-711 Transistors....Pages 713-766 Front Matter....Pages 767-767 Tensors....Pages 769-771 Space Groups....Pages 773-774 Kramers–Kronig Relations....Pages 775-776 Oscillator Strength....Pages 777-781 Quantum Statistics....Pages 783-786 The k · p Perturbation Theory....Pages 787-790 Effective-Mass Theory....Pages 791-791 Back Matter....Pages 793-864 The Physics of Semiconductors provides an overview of the subject for graduate and advanced undergraduate courses, enabling readers to begin supervised research on one specific topic. Readers will find a balance of the essential aspects of solid-state physics and the principles of semiconductor devices.