Fundamentals of Semiconductor: Physics and Materials Properties [Paperback]

Peter Y. Yu (Author), Manuel Cardona (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 3540614613 | ISBN-13: 978-3540614616 | Publication Date: January 9, 1997

Fundamentals of Semiconductors attempts to fill the gap between a general solid-state physics textbook and research articles by providing detailed explanations of the electronic, vibrational, transport, and optical properties of semiconductors. The approach is physical and intuitive rather than formal and pedantic. Theories are presented to explain experimental results. This textbook has been written with both students and researchers in mind. Its emphasis is on understanding the physical properties of Si and similar tetrahedrally coordinated semiconductors. The explanations are based on physical insights. Each chapter is enriched by an extensive collection of tables of material parameters, figures and problems. Many of these problems 'lead the student by the hand' to arrive at the results.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Fundamentals of Semiconductors attempts to fill the gap between a general solid-state physics textbook and research articles by providing detailed explanations of the electronic, vibrational, transport, and optical properties of semiconductors. The approach is physical and intuitive rather than formal and pedantic. Theories are presented to explain experimental results. This textbook has been written with both students and researchers in mind. Its emphasis is on understanding the physical properties of Si and similar tetrahedrally coordinated semiconductors. The explanations are based on physical insights. Each chapter is enriched by an extensive collection of tables of material parameters, figures and problems. Many of these problems 'lead the student by the hand' to arrive at the results. -- Book Description

It concentrates on bulk semiconductors (with natural periodicity) and superlattices (with artificial periodicity) at a level satisfactory for research students... All chapters have their own references (from the historical important papers to modern monographs and textbooks) and are enriched with tables of material parameters, figures and problems (105 in total)... The book is of great value for graduate students and research students in the field of semiconductor physics, for lecturers of semiconductors and for engineers working in the field of research and development of electronic and especially optoelectronic devices. -- Zeitschrift f(r Physikalische Chemie

From the Back Cover

This fourth edition of the well-established Fundamentals of Semiconductors serves to fill the gap between a general solid-state physics textbook and research articles by providing detailed explanations of the electronic, vibrational, transport, and optical properties of semiconductors. The approach is physical and intuitive rather than formal and pedantic. Theories are presented to explain experimental results. This textbook has been written with both students and researchers in mind. Its emphasis is on understanding the physical properties of Si and similar tetrahedrally coordinated semiconductors. The explanations are based on physical insights. Each chapter is enriched by an extensive collection of tables of material parameters, figures, and problems. Many of these problems "lead the student by the hand" to arrive at the results. The major changes made in the fourth edition include: 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. Some of the solutions contain extensions via discussion about topics of current interest in the field of semiconductor physics, such as spin-orbit coupling and k-linear band dispersion. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 617 pages
• Publisher: Springer (January 9, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3540614613
• ISBN-13: 978-3540614616
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,514,396 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent balance of breadth and depth, May 8, 2000

By 

Vilayat Khan (Ithaca, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fundamentals of Semiconductors: Physics and Materials Properties (Hardcover)

This is an excellent book on all properties of semiconductors -electronic structure , phonons , transport and optics . It primarilyfocusses on bulk properties ,but extremely succinct and relevant comments on hetersotructures can also be found interspersed throughout .

Many books on semiconductor physics err on the side of breadth at the expense of depth . I found this book to be a pleasant exception . I believe this leaves other similar books like Physics of Semiconductors and their Heterostructures by J.Singh far behind .

Cardona (of course) is at his best when discussing otical properties , especially optical diagnostic methods . I have not seen a similar book at this level which gives the same level of description of light-matter interaction in semiconductors.

I recommend it highly to all fellow graduate students .

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book on semiconductor PHYSICS, May 20, 2004

By 

Hui Fang "booklover" (NASHVILLE, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fundamentals of Semiconductors: Physics and Materials Properties (Advanced Texts in Physics) (Hardcover)

I'm a Ph.D on physics, I read this book from page to page and worked out the problems.
This is an excellent book on the physics of semiconductors, NOT on semiconductor devices! The text is well written. The physical concept is clearly explained, mostly with a diagram or a graph. The formulae are carefully deducted without wasting too much time and space. I must add a few words on the problems. From all the physics textbooks I've read, only Claude Cohen-Tannoudji's Quantum Mechanics book is comparable. Those problems usually are about the the formulae, such as k.p. perturbation method and Luttinger Hamiltonian, etc., appeared in the main text but its detail is not appropriate there. The problems are by no means easy. Actually, some of them are really hard. For example, it took me a lot of time to work out the 6 by 6 k.p. perturbation matrix! In the process of working out those problems, I had a better understanding on the computational physics. You don't see that in a normal textbook!

The references are the classical or landstone papers about a specific subject, very good for further research.

In summary, this is an excellent textbook, if you want to study it hard.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book in the market, August 16, 2006

By 

Vahit Sametoglu (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fundamentals of Semiconductors: Physics and Materials Properties (Advanced Texts in Physics) (Hardcover)

This book is an excellent reference book on semiconductors in general. The physics behind semiconductor theory is discussed very well, however, if you are looking for a book regarding semiconductor devices or electronics, this is not what you are looking for.

One advantage of this book is that it contains a fairly large section for "group theory", if you are using it in your studies.

Electronic, transport and especially optical properties of semiconductors are mentioned very extensively and clearly. There is also a whole chapter on photoemission, which is very useful. The concept of quantum confinement is addressed independently with illustrative examples.

If you are interested in semiconductors and want to buy "one" book which you can use and consult all the time, this is the book you need. The authors are some of the best in the World on semiconductors.