2.1 Semiconductor Fundamentals - Introduction
Table of Contents -
Glossary -
Study Aids -
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In this Section:
- Introduction
- A short review of quantum mechanics
- Reference Texts
2.1.1 Introduction
The fundamentals of semiconductors are typically found in text books
discussing quantum mechanics, solid state physics and statistical
thermodynamics.
In addition there also are several texts which combine the semiconductor
fundamentals. The
intention of this chapter is to provide a reference to the semiconductor
related physics which is needed to further develop the semiconductor
devices. While an attempt was made to make this section comprehensible
even to readers with a minimal background in the different areas of
physics, readers are still refered to the
reference texts for a
more thorough treatment of this material.
2.1.2 A short review of quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics emerged in the beginning of
the twentieth century
as a new discipline because of the need to
explain phenomena which could not be explained using
Newtonian
mechanics. These phenomena include the
photoelectric effect,
blackbody radiation and the
rather complex radiation from an excited
hydrogen gas. It is these and
other experimental observations which
lead to the concepts of quantization of light into photons, the
particle-wave duality, the de Broglie wavelength and
the fundamental equation describing
quantum mechanics, namely the
Schödinger equation.
These topics can be found in the section on
quantum mechanics.
2.1.3 Reference Texts
Introductory texts
- Electrons in Solids, third edition, R. Bube, Academic Press, 1992
- Introduction to Solid State Physics, seventh edition, C. Kittel, Wiley, 1996
- Thermal Physics, second edition, C. Kittel and H. Kroemer, Freeman, 1980
- Quantum Mechanics, H. Kroemer, Prentice Hall, 1994
2.
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© Bart J. Van Zeghbroeck, 1996, 1997