This book covers the physics of semiconductors on an introductory level, assuming that the reader already has some knowledge of condensed matter physics. Crystal structure, band structure, carrier transport, phonons, scattering processes and optical properties are presented for typical semiconductors such as silicon, but III-V and II-VI compounds are also included. In view of the increasing importance of wide-gap semiconductors, the electronic and optical properties of these materials are dealt with too.

This text aims to provide the fundamentals necessary to understand semiconductor device characteristics, operations and limitations. Quantum mechanics and quantum theory are explored, and this background helps give students a deeper understanding of the essentials of physics and semiconductors.

The 4th edition of this highly successful textbook features copious material for a complete upper-level undergraduate or graduate course, guiding readers to the point where they can choose a specialized topic and begin supervised research. The textbook provides an integrated approach beginning from the essential principles of solid-state and semiconductor physics to their use in various classic and modern semiconductor devices for applications in electronics and photonics. The text highlights many practical aspects of semiconductors: alloys, strain, heterostructures, nanostructures, amorphous semiconductors, and noise, which are essential aspects of modern semiconductor research but often omitted in other textbooks. This textbook also covers advanced topics, such as Bragg mirrors, resonators, polarized and magnetic semiconductors, nanowires, quantum dots, multi-junction solar cells, thin film transistors, and transparent conductive oxides. The 4th edition includes many updates and chapters on 2D materials and aspects of topology. The text derives explicit formulas for many results to facilitate a better understanding of the topics. Having evolved from a highly regarded two-semester course on the topic, The Physics of Semiconductors requires little or no prior knowledge of solid-state physics. More than 2100 references guide the reader to historic and current literature including original papers, review articles and topical books, providing a go-to point of reference for experienced researchers as well.

The first edition of "Semiconductor Physics" was published in 1973 by Springer-Verlag Wien-New York as a paperback in the Springer Study Edition. In 1977, a Russian translation by Professor Yu. K. Pozhela and coworkers at Vilnius/USSR was published by Izdatelstvo "MIR", Mo scow. Since then new ideas have been developed in the field of semi conductors such as electron hole droplets, dangling bond saturation in amorphous silicon by hydrogen, or the determination of the fine struc ture constant from surface quantization in inversion layers. New tech niques such as molecular beam epitaxy which has made the realization of the Esaki superlattice possible, deep level transient spectroscopy, and refined a. c. Hall techniques have evolved. Now that the Viennese edition is about to go out of print, Springer-Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York is giving me the opportunity to include these new subjects in a monograph to appear in the Solid-State Sciences series. Again it has been the intention to cover the field of semiconductor physics comprehensively, although some chapters such as diffusion of hot carriers and their galvanomagnetic phenomena, as well as super conducting degenerate semiconductors and the appendices, had to go for commercial reasons. The emphasis is more on physics than on device as pects.

It is a pleasure to take the opportunity to express my sincere grati tude to many colleagues who provided valuable hints for improvements, even including lists of misprints (which I hope have now been complete ly eliminated). It is not possible to name all of them, and so I will only mention the interesting discussions over so many years I had with Pro fessor Hans W. Pötzl of the Technical University of Vienna on the oc casion of our common weekly semiconductor seminar. I am grateful to Professor H.-J. Queisser and Professor M. Cardona for helpful criticism. Special thanks are due to Frau Jitka Fucik for typing and Frau Viktoria Köver for drawing services. The cooperation with Dr. H.K. Lotsch of Springer-Verlag has been a pleasure. Vienna, January 1982 K. Seeger Contents 1. Elementary Properties of Semiconductors . . .. I 1.1 Insulator - Semiconductor - Semimetal - Metal 1 1.2 The Positive Hole ... 3 1.3 Conduction Processes, Compensation, Law ofMass Action 4 Problems . 8 2. Energy Band Structure . 10 2.1 Single and Periodically Repeated Potential Well 10 2.2 Energy Bands by Tight Binding ofElectrons to Atoms 17 2.3 The Brillouin Zone 21 2.4 Constant Energy Surfaces 30 Problems . 33 3. Semiconductor Statistics 34 3.1 Fermi Statistics ... 35 3.2 Occupation Probabilities ofImpurity Levels 39 Problems . 45 4. Charge and Energy Transport in a Nondegenerate Electron Gas.

Introduction to Semiconductor Device Physics is a popular and established text that offers a thorough introduction to the underlying physics of semiconductor devices. It begins with a review of basic solid state physics, then goes on to describe the properties of semiconductors including energy bands, the concept of effective mass, carrier concentr

Provides a modern introduction to semiconductor physics, presentingthe basic information necessary to understand semiconductors, alongwith some of the latest theories and developments. Based on theauthor's undergraduate course, this book bridges the gap betweenbasic subjects such as quantum mechanics and Maxwell's equationsand the fundamental processes determining the behaviour ofsemiconductors. Following a quantum mechanics approach this text ispredominantly aimed at scientists rather then engineers, and formsthe basis for the understanding of modern mesoscopic physics insemiconductors and quantum devices like resonant tunnelingdiodes. Rather than attempting to comprehensively cover all aspects ofsemiconductor physics, this text aims to cover the most importantand interesting aspects of this subject to scientists. Startingwith the development of semiconductor physics from basic quantummechanics, the text moves on to cover band structure and effectivemass theory, before covering electron-phonon coupling and chargetransport. It concludes with a chapter on optical transitions.Students will need some knowledge of quantum mechanics and solidstate although this is covered to some extent in the book. FEATURES * Concise introduction to the basics of semiconductor physics * Bridges the gap between fundamental subjects such as quantummechanics and Maxwell's equations and the processes determining thebehaviour of semiconductors * Describes semiconductor theory from a full quantum mechanicalapproach.An accessible introduction, avoiding reliance on grouptheory CONTENTS: Preface; Notation Conventions; Introduction; Electrons,nuclei and Hamiltonians; Band Structure; The k - p Approximation;Effective Mass Theory; The Crystal Lattice; Electron-phononCoupling; Charge Transport, Optical Transitions; Band Electrons inan Optical Field; Appendix A: The Hydrogen Atom; Appendix B: TheHarmonic Oscillator; Appendix C: Perturbation Theory; AppendixD:Tensors in Cubic Crystals; Appendix E: The Classical Limit;Appendix F: Some Fourier Transforms; Appendix G: Exercises;Bibliography.

Semiconductor Device Physics and Design teaches readers how to approach device design from the point of view of someone who wants to improve devices and can see the opportunity and challenges. It begins with coverage of basic physics concepts, including the physics behind polar heterostructures and strained heterostructures. The book then details the important devices ranging from p-n diodes to bipolar and field effect devices. By relating device design to device performance and then relating device needs to system use the student can see how device design works in the real world.

Excellent bridge between general solid-state physics textbook and research articles packed with providing detailed explanations of the electronic, vibrational, transport, and optical properties of semiconductors "The most striking feature of the book is its modern outlook ... provides a wonderful foundation. The most wonderful feature is its efficient style of exposition ... an excellent book." Physics Today "Presents the theoretical derivations carefully and in detail and gives thorough discussions of the experimental results it presents. This makes it an excellent textbook both for learners and for more experienced researchers wishing to check facts. I have enjoyed reading it and strongly recommend it as a text for anyone working with semiconductors ... I know of no better text ... I am sure most semiconductor physicists will find this book useful and I recommend it to them." Contemporary Physics Offers much new material: an extensive appendix about the important and by now well-established, deep center known as the DX center, additional problems and the solutions to over fifty of the problems at the end of the various chapters.

A detailed description of the basic physics of semiconductors. All the important equations describing the properties of these materials are derived without the help of other textbooks. The reader is assumed to have only a basic command of mathematics and some elementary semiconductor physics. The text covers a wide range of important semiconductor phenomena, from the simple to the advanced.