Short description:

This textbook provides a new perspective on the classic topic of Semiconductor Materials and Devices. It aims at undergraduate and beginning graduate students in the physical sciences and in engineering. This book combines two unique aspects: (i) Making quantum mechanical concepts broadly accessible: Rather than avoiding fundamental concepts such as electronic band structure and phonons, as is the case in the established texts on semiconductors, the book embraces and incorporates them as key building blocks. While conceptually sound and rigorous, this textbook avoids unnecessary detail to provide students with a solid understanding of key concepts while enabling rapid progress toward the learning goals. (ii) Extensive examples sourced from contemporary research: Advanced topics from the current literature (past 10 years) are included as natural extensions to each chapter of the book. These contemporary examples broaden the students’ knowledge beyond the typical content of an introductory textbook, provide relevant literature references, and encourage further reading and self-study. In this way, the extensions help educate the students for careers in the “post-silicon era”.

• Provides a concise introduction to semiconductor materials and devices, accessible to students of varying backgrounds


• Makes extensive use of current, real examples to facilitate understanding and motivate further reading


• Prepares students for careers in semiconductor research and development, device design, and manufacturing

Long description:

This textbook provides a new perspective on the classic topic of Semiconductor Materials and Devices. It aims at undergraduate and beginning graduate students in the physical sciences and in engineering. This book combines two unique aspects: (i) Making quantum mechanical concepts broadly accessible: Rather than avoiding fundamental concepts such as electronic band structure and phonons, as is the case in the established texts on semiconductors, the book embraces and incorporates them as key building blocks. While conceptually sound and rigorous, this textbook avoids unnecessary detail to provide students with a solid understanding of key concepts while enabling rapid progress toward the learning goals. (ii) Extensive examples sourced from contemporary research: Advanced topics from the current literature (past 10 years) are included as natural extensions to each chapter of the book. These contemporary examples broaden the students’ knowledge beyond the typical content of an introductory textbook, provide relevant literature references, and encourage further reading and self-study. In this way, the extensions help educate the students for careers in the “post-silicon era”.

• Provides a concise introduction to semiconductor materials and devices, accessible to students of varying backgrounds


• Makes extensive use of current, real examples to facilitate understanding and motivate further reading


• Prepares students for careers in semiconductor research and development, device design, and manufacturing

Table of Contents:

Introduction.- The structure of crystalline materials.- Electronic band structure.- Electrons and holes.- Density of states, equilibrium occupancy of band states, doping.- Equilibrium carrier concentration.- Phonons.- Carrier transport.- Carrier generation & recombination.- pn-junctions: From materials to devices.- Optoelectronic devices.