A fascinating insight into the state-of-the-art in silicon microphotonics and on what we can expect in the near future. The book presents an overview of the current understanding of getting light from silicon. It concentrates mainly on low dimensional silicon structures, like quantum dots, wires and wells, but covers also alternative approaches like porous silicon and the doping of silicon with rare-earths. The emphasis is on the experimental and theoretical achievements concerning the optoelectronic properties of confined silicon structures obtained during recent years. Silicon based photonic crystals are in particular considered. An in depth discussion of the route towards a silicon laser is presented.

This book focuses on a novel phenomenon named photon breeding. It is applied to realizing light-emitting diodes and lasers made of indirect-transition-type silicon bulk crystals in which the light-emission principle is based on dressed photons. After presenting physical pictures of dressed photons and dressed-photon phonons, the principle of light emission by using dressed-photon phonons is reviewed. A novel phenomenon named photon breeding is also reviewed. Next, the fabrication and operation of light emitting diodes and lasers are described The role of coherent phonons in these devices is discussed. Finally, light-emitting diodes using other relevant crystals are described and other relevant devices are also reviewed.

Silicon, the leading material in microelectronics during the last four decades, also promises to be the key material in the future. Despite many claims that silicon technology has reached fundamental limits, the performance of silicon microelectronics continues to improve steadily. The same holds for almost all the applications for which Si was considered to be unsuitable. The main exception to this positive trend is the silicon laser, which has not been demonstrated to date. The main reason for this comes from a fundamental limitation related to the indirect nature of the Si band-gap. In the recent past, many different approaches have been taken to achieve this goal: dislocated silicon, extremely pure silicon, silicon nanocrystals, porous silicon, Er doped Si-Ge, SiGe alloys and multiquantum wells, SiGe quantum dots, SiGe quantum cascade structures, shallow impurity centers in silicon and Er doped silicon. All of these are abundantly illustrated in the present book.

The development of nitride-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) has led to advancements in high-brightness LED technology for solid-state lighting, handheld electronics, and advanced bioengineering applications. Nitride Semiconductor Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) reviews the fabrication, performance, and applications of this technology that encompass the state-of-the-art material and device development, and practical nitride-based LED design considerations. Part one reviews the fabrication of nitride semiconductor LEDs. Chapters cover molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth of nitride semiconductors, modern metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) techniques and the growth of nitride-based materials, and gallium nitride (GaN)-on-sapphire and GaN-on-silicon technologies for LEDs. Nanostructured, non-polar and semi-polar nitride-based LEDs, as well as phosphor-coated nitride LEDs, are also discussed. Part two covers the performance of nitride LEDs, including photonic crystal LEDs, surface plasmon enhanced LEDs, color tuneable LEDs, and LEDs based on quantum wells and quantum dots. Further chapters discuss the development of LED encapsulation technology and the fundamental efficiency droop issues in gallium indium nitride (GaInN) LEDs. Finally, part three highlights applications of nitride LEDs, including liquid crystal display (LCD) backlighting, infrared emitters, and automotive lighting. Nitride Semiconductor Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) is a technical resource for academics, physicists, materials scientists, electrical engineers, and those working in the lighting, consumer electronics, automotive, aviation, and communications sectors. - Reviews fabrication, performance, and applications of this technology that encompass the state-of-the-art material and device development, and practical nitride-based LED design considerations - Covers the performance of nitride LEDs, including photonic crystal LEDs, surface plasmon enhanced LEDs, color tuneable LEDs, and LEDs based on quantum wells and quantum dots - Highlights applications of nitride LEDs, including liquid crystal display (LCD) backlighting, infra-red emitters, and automotive lighting

Silicon, the leading material in microelectronics during the last four decades, also promises to be the key material in the future. Despite many claims that silicon technology has reached fundamental limits, the performance of silicon microelectronics continues to improve steadily. The same holds for almost all the applications for which Si was considered to be unsuitable. The main exception to this positive trend is the silicon laser, which has not been demonstrated to date. The main reason for this comes from a fundamental limitation related to the indirect nature of the Si band-gap. In the recent past, many different approaches have been taken to achieve this goal: dislocated silicon, extremely pure silicon, silicon nanocrystals, porous silicon, Er doped Si-Ge, SiGe alloys and multiquantum wells, SiGe quantum dots, SiGe quantum cascade structures, shallow impurity centers in silicon and Er doped silicon. All of these are abundantly illustrated in the present book.

The purpose of this book is to provide the reader with a self-contained treatment of fundamen tal solid state and semiconductor device physics. The material presented in the text is based upon the lecture notes of a one-year graduate course sequence taught by this author for many years in the ·Department of Electrical Engineering of the University of Florida. It is intended as an introductory textbook for graduate students in electrical engineering. However, many students from other disciplines and backgrounds such as chemical engineering, materials science, and physics have also taken this course sequence, and will be interested in the material presented herein. This book may also serve as a general reference for device engineers in the semiconductor industry. The present volume covers a wide variety of topics on basic solid state physics and physical principles of various semiconductor devices. The main subjects covered include crystal structures, lattice dynamics, semiconductor statistics, energy band theory, excess carrier phenomena and recombination mechanisms, carrier transport and scattering mechanisms, optical properties, photoelectric effects, metal-semiconductor devices, the p--n junction diode, bipolar junction transistor, MOS devices, photonic devices, quantum effect devices, and high speed III-V semiconductor devices. The text presents a unified and balanced treatment of the physics of semiconductor materials and devices. It is intended to provide physicists and mat erials scientists with more device backgrounds, and device engineers with a broader knowledge of fundamental solid state physics.

Luminescence and the Light Emitting Diode: The Basics and Technology of LEDS and the Luminescence Properties of the Materials focuses on the basic physics and technology of light emitting diodes (LEDS) and pn junction lasers as well as their luminescence properties. Optical processes in semiconductors and the useful devices which can be made are discussed. Comprised of 10 chapters, this book begins with an introduction to the crystal structure and growth, as well as the optical and electrical properties of LED materials. The detailed fabrication of the LED is then considered, along with the luminescence of the material and the diode light emission. Subsequent chapters explore solid-state lasers made from LED materials; the equipment used to measure luminescence, cathodoluminescence, and diode electro-optic characteristics; and luminescence in gallium arsenide, GaAs1-xPx, and gallium phosphide. Other LED materials such as silicon carbide and ternary semiconducting compounds are also surveyed. The text concludes with a brief chapter that describes some of the applications of LEDs and LED products. This monograph will be of value to students and non-graduate engineers with an interest in LEDs.

Light and light based technologies have played an important role in transforming our lives via scientific contributions spanned over thousands of years. In this book we present a vast collection of articles on various aspects of light and its applications in the contemporary world at a popular or semi-popular level. These articles are written by the world authorities in their respective fields. This is therefore a rare volume where the world experts have come together to present the developments in this most important field of science in an almost pedagogical manner. This volume covers five aspects related to light. The first presents two articles, one on the history of the nature of light, and the other on the scientific achievements of Ibn-Haitham (Alhazen), who is broadly considered the father of modern optics. These are then followed by an article on ultrafast phenomena and the invisible world. The third part includes papers on specific sources of light, the discoveries of which have revolutionized optical technologies in our lifetime. They discuss the nature and the characteristics of lasers, Solid-state lighting based on the Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology, and finally modern electron optics and its relationship to the Muslim golden age in science. The book’s fourth part discusses various applications of optics and light in today's world, including biophotonics, art, optical communication, nanotechnology, the eye as an optical instrument, remote sensing, and optics in medicine. In turn, the last part focuses on quantum optics, a modern field that grew out of the interaction of light and matter. Topics addressed include atom optics, slow, stored and stationary light, optical tests of the foundation of physics, quantum mechanical properties of light fields carrying orbital angular momentum, quantum communication, and Wave-Particle dualism in action.

Volume 48in the Semiconductors and Semimetals series discusses the physics and chemistry of electronic materials, a subject of growing practical importance in the semiconductor devices industry. The contributors discuss the current state of knowledge and provide insight into future developments of this important field.

Since its inception in 1966, the series of numbered volumes known as Semiconductors and Semimetals has distinguished itself through the careful selection of well-known authors, editors, and contributors. The "Willardson and Beer" Series, as it is widely known, has succeeded in publishing numerous landmark volumes and chapters. Not only did many of these volumes make an impact at the time of their publication, but they continue to be well-cited years after their original release. Recently, Professor Eicke R. Weber of the University of California at Berkeley joined as a co-editor of the series.