Fundamentals of Solid State Engineering SYNOPSIS
Solid state Engineering is a multi-disciplinary field that combines
disciplines such as physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, materials
science and mechanical engineering. It provides the means to understand matter
and to design and control its properties.
The 20th century has witnessed the phenomenal rise of natural science and
technology into all aspects of human life. Three major sciences have emerged and
marked this century. Physical science which has strived to understand the
structure of atoms through quantum mechanics, Life Sciences which has attempted
to understand the structure of cells and the mechanisms of life through biology
and genetics, and Information Sciences which has symbiotically developed the
communicative and computational means to advanced natural science.
Microelectronics has become one of today's principle enabling technologies
supporting these three major sciences and touches every aspect of human life:
food, energy, transportation, communication, entertainment, health/medicine and
exploration. For example, microelectronic devices have now become building
blocks of systems which are used to monitor food s energy more efficiently
(LED), control electrical vehicles (automobiles), transmit information (optical
fiber and wireless communications), entertain (virtual reality, video games,
computers), help cure or enhance the human body (artificial senses, optically
activated medicine) and support the exploration of new realms (space,
underwater).
A different approach has been envisioned for future advances in semiconductor
science and technology in the 21st century. This will consist of reaching closer
to the structure of atoms by employing nanoscale electronics. Indeed, the
history of microelectronics has been, itself, characterized by a constant drive
to imitate natural objects (e.g. the brain cell) and thus move towards lower
dimensions in order to increase integration density, system functionality and
performance (e.g. speed and power consumption).
Fundamentals of Solid State Engineering is structured in two major parts. It
first addresses the basic physics concepts, which are at the base of solid state
matter in general and semiconductors in particular. The second part reviews the
technology for modern Solid State Engineering. This includes a review of
compound semiconductor bulk and epitaxial thin films growth techniques, followed
by a description of current semiconductor device processing and nano-fabrication
technologies. A few examples of semiconductor devices and a description of their
theory of operational are then discussed, including transistors, semiconductor
lasers, and photodetectors.
FROM THE CRITICS
Booknews
Razeghi (Northwestern U.) presents this undergraduate textbook covering a variety of fundamental scientific concepts essential to solid state engineering and of interest to students in electrical engineering and materials science. The appendix and references will also be useful to graduate students and researchers. Coverage includes fundamental solid state physics, quantum mechanics, low dimensional structures, crystal growth, semiconductor device processing and technology, transistors and lasers. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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