The story of semiconductors / John Orton.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Orton, J. W. (John Wilfred)

Contributor:

John G. Hartman Memorial Library Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Semiconductors--History.

Semiconductors.

History.

Physical Description:

xii, 510 pages, 10 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, portraits ; 26 cm

Place of Publication:

Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2004.

Summary:

The book provides an overview of the fascinating spectrum of semiconductor physics, devices and applications, presented from a historical perspective. It covers the development of the subject from its inception in the early nineteenth century to the recent millennium. Written in a lively, informal style, it emphasizes the interaction between pure scientific push and commercial pull, on the one hand, and between basic physics, materials, and devices, on the other. It also sets the various device developments in the context of systems requirements and explains how such developments met wide-ranging consumer demands. It is written so as to appeal to students at all levels in physics, electrical engineering, and materials science, to teachers, lecturers, and professionals working in the field, as well as to a non-specialist scientific readership.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Perspectives 1

1.1 The 'Information Age' 1

1.2 Early materials technology 3

1.3 What makes a semiconductor? 5

1.4 Semiconductor doping 12

1.5 How many semiconductors are there? 15

Chapter 2 The cat's whiskers 19

2.1 Early days 19

2.2 First applications 21

2.3 Commercial semiconductor rectifiers 23

2.4 Early semiconductor physics 28

2.5 The cat's whisker reborn 38

2.6 Postscript-how things happen 42

Chapter 3 Minority rule 47

3.1 The transistor 47

3.2 Ge and Si technology 54

3.3 The physics of Ge and Si 60

3.4 The junction transistor 79

Chapter 4 Silicon, silicon, and yet more silicon 93

4.1 Precursor to the revolution 93

4.2 The Metal Oxide Silicon transistor 100

4.3 Semiconductor technology 107

4.4 Wise men from the East 120

4.5 Power and energy-sometimes size is important 127

4.6 Silicon is good for physics, too 139

Chapter 5 The compound challenge 149

5.1 Why bother? 149

5.2 Gallium arsenide 152

5.3 Crystal growth 158

5.4 Material characterization 171

5.5 Light emitting devices 184

5.6 Microwave devices 195

5.7 Indium-phosphide 207

Chapter 6 Low dimensional structures 213

6.1 Small really is beautiful 213

6.2 The two-dimensional electron gas 219

6.3 Mesoscopic systems 229

6.4 Optical properties of quantum wells 237

6.5 Electronic devices 246

6.6 Optical devices 258

Chapter 7 Let there be light 277

7.1 Basic principles 277

7.2 Red-emitting alloys 286

7.3 Gallium phosphide 294

7.4 Wide band gap semiconductors 304

7.5 Short wavelength laser diodes 315

Chapter 8 Communicating with light 331

8.1 Fibre optics 331

8.2 Long wavelength sources 343

8.3 Photodetectors 359

8.4 Optical modulators 373

8.5 Recent developments 378

Chapter 9 Semiconductors in the infrared 385

9.1 The infrared spectral region 385

9.2 Infrared components 391

9.3 Two world wars-and after 398

9.4 Growing sophistication-the 1960s and 1970s 412

9.5 Quantum wells, superlattices, and other modern wonders 425

9.6 Long wavelength lasers 436

Chapter 10 Polycrystalline and amorphous semiconductors 447

10.2 Polycrystalline semiconductors 448

10.3 Amorphous semiconductors 460

10.4 Solar cells 471

10.5 Liquid crystal displays 486

10.6 Porous silicon 498.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the John G. Hartman Memorial Library Fund.

ISBN:

0198530838

OCLC:

59265483