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Survey of semiconductor physics
Journal of Luminescence 47 (1991) 193-494 North-Holland
193
Book review
Survey of semiconductor physics Electrons and other particles in bulk semiconductors (Karl W. Böer, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1990) Weikun Ge Physics Department, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
Semiconductor physics has made great advances in the last decade or so. The most significant progress was the introduction of low dimensional systems into semiconductors. Superlattice (SL) and quantum well (QW) structures have become the predominant subjects of semiconductor physics research, since the pioneer work of Esaki and Tsu in 1970 [11. The quantum Hall effect (QHE) [2], the discovery of which won the Nobel prize of 1985, and the fractional QHE [3], which is even more significant from the point of view of quantum theory, represent the greatest achievement in semiconductor physics of the last decade. Optical studies have also played a key role in low dimensional semiconductor physics [4]. Other important developments include the also Nobel-prize winning discovery of high-To superconductors, layered compounds which are semiconducting at or above room temperature, phase transition in semiconductors, amorphous structures, surface and deep level studies, etc. In fact, there are some links between the surface structure and the deep levels in the sense that they are both deviations from the bulk or host bonding and calculation methods developed for surface states have achieved a great success when used to interprete the most puzzling deep levels such as the DX center and EL2 [5]. It is thus an appropriate time for an up-to-date survey of these new developments in semiconductor physics. Professor Böer’s newly published book “Survey of Semiconductor Physics” presents a good example which will not only be extremely useful in teaching and graduate study but also 0022-2313/91/S03.50 © 1991
provides an encyclopaedia-like reference for research workers. The materials of the book are developed from the author’s accumulation of extensive card files for many years of lecturing in this field. Unlike some old semi-classical textbooks, this book’s view of semiconductor physics is entirely based on quantum theory. The sub-title of the book, “Electrons and other particles in bulk semiconductors”, reflects the quantum mechanical point of view and the emphasis on semiconductor physics. In particular, the book provides a clear picture of quasi-particles or elementary excitations in semiconductors, e.g. phonons, electrons and plasmons, excitons, and the interactions among them and/or with photons or defects, e.g. polaritons, polarons, dressed electrons, local vibration modes, bound excitons, biexcitons and electron hole liquid, etc. The titles of its eight parts mdicate the author’s quantum mechanical treatment of semiconductor physics. The first part deals with the bulk atoms, i.e. bonding and structure, part II is on phonons, and part III on electrons (energy bands). Part IV on photon interactions and part VII, dealing with generation recombination which is also largely associated with photon—electron interactions, are quite unusual amongst semiconductor physics textbooks. Defects are the subject of part V, part VI covers the usual contents of transport material, and finally, part VIII discusses kinetics of various particles. In an appendix, the author also provides the useful background knowledge of physics and mathematics needed for quantum mechanical understanding of the con-
Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (North-Holland)
194
Book review
tents, e.g. some elements of quantum mechanics (A.4), a collection of important formulae (A.6), and vector analysis (A.3). The book is no-doubt up-to-date. Taking superlattices (SLs) as an example, the book covers well the very recent developments in this field. Many important topics with current interests have been discussed, e.g. type I and type II SL, ultra-thin SL, doped SL, strained-layer SL, excitons, phonons, lattice defects, periodicity fluctuation, and carrier transportation in SLs. In addition, being a very experienced teacher, the author has given brilliant guidance to the use of the book in teaching. He organized the contents into different courses, such as “Introduction to semiconductor physics”, “Carriers in semiconductors” “Semiconductor photonics”, “Defects in semiconductors and “Crystalline amorphous and superlattice semiconductors”. He also provides some challenging problems for the students. Of course, as was pointed out by the author himself, a book covering such a large variety of subjects and written by one person may necessarily lack the depth provided by experts in their own fields of specialization. However, as the development of science makes its various disciplines
interpenetrate into each other further and further, a wide-based understanding of the whole field is now not only helpful, but is really essential, especially for those, for whom the book is written, who are endeavoring to further unravel the exciting puzzles of nature, and who are helping to create the foundation for the development of new and better semiconductor devices. We therefore look forward to the publication of the next volume of this book which is dealing with inhomogeneous semiconductors, and perhaps, a better printing quality (especially for figures) for future editions rather than the camera-ready form at present.
References
,
[1] L. Esaki and R. Tsu, IBM J. Res. Dev. 61(1970). [2] K. von KJitzing, G. Doreda and M. Pepper, Phys. Rev. Lett. 45 (1980) 494. [3] A.M. Chang, P. Bergiund, D.C. Tsui, H.L. Stormer and J.C.M. Hwang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 53 (1984) 997. [41MD. Sturge and M-H. Meynadier, J. Lumin. 44 ~1989) [5] For DX centers, see D.J. Chadi and K.J. Chang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 61 (1988) 873. For EL2 centers, see D.J. Chadi and K.J. Chang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 60 (1988) 2187.
193
Book review
Survey of semiconductor physics Electrons and other particles in bulk semiconductors (Karl W. Böer, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1990) Weikun Ge Physics Department, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
Semiconductor physics has made great advances in the last decade or so. The most significant progress was the introduction of low dimensional systems into semiconductors. Superlattice (SL) and quantum well (QW) structures have become the predominant subjects of semiconductor physics research, since the pioneer work of Esaki and Tsu in 1970 [11. The quantum Hall effect (QHE) [2], the discovery of which won the Nobel prize of 1985, and the fractional QHE [3], which is even more significant from the point of view of quantum theory, represent the greatest achievement in semiconductor physics of the last decade. Optical studies have also played a key role in low dimensional semiconductor physics [4]. Other important developments include the also Nobel-prize winning discovery of high-To superconductors, layered compounds which are semiconducting at or above room temperature, phase transition in semiconductors, amorphous structures, surface and deep level studies, etc. In fact, there are some links between the surface structure and the deep levels in the sense that they are both deviations from the bulk or host bonding and calculation methods developed for surface states have achieved a great success when used to interprete the most puzzling deep levels such as the DX center and EL2 [5]. It is thus an appropriate time for an up-to-date survey of these new developments in semiconductor physics. Professor Böer’s newly published book “Survey of Semiconductor Physics” presents a good example which will not only be extremely useful in teaching and graduate study but also 0022-2313/91/S03.50 © 1991
provides an encyclopaedia-like reference for research workers. The materials of the book are developed from the author’s accumulation of extensive card files for many years of lecturing in this field. Unlike some old semi-classical textbooks, this book’s view of semiconductor physics is entirely based on quantum theory. The sub-title of the book, “Electrons and other particles in bulk semiconductors”, reflects the quantum mechanical point of view and the emphasis on semiconductor physics. In particular, the book provides a clear picture of quasi-particles or elementary excitations in semiconductors, e.g. phonons, electrons and plasmons, excitons, and the interactions among them and/or with photons or defects, e.g. polaritons, polarons, dressed electrons, local vibration modes, bound excitons, biexcitons and electron hole liquid, etc. The titles of its eight parts mdicate the author’s quantum mechanical treatment of semiconductor physics. The first part deals with the bulk atoms, i.e. bonding and structure, part II is on phonons, and part III on electrons (energy bands). Part IV on photon interactions and part VII, dealing with generation recombination which is also largely associated with photon—electron interactions, are quite unusual amongst semiconductor physics textbooks. Defects are the subject of part V, part VI covers the usual contents of transport material, and finally, part VIII discusses kinetics of various particles. In an appendix, the author also provides the useful background knowledge of physics and mathematics needed for quantum mechanical understanding of the con-
Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (North-Holland)
194
Book review
tents, e.g. some elements of quantum mechanics (A.4), a collection of important formulae (A.6), and vector analysis (A.3). The book is no-doubt up-to-date. Taking superlattices (SLs) as an example, the book covers well the very recent developments in this field. Many important topics with current interests have been discussed, e.g. type I and type II SL, ultra-thin SL, doped SL, strained-layer SL, excitons, phonons, lattice defects, periodicity fluctuation, and carrier transportation in SLs. In addition, being a very experienced teacher, the author has given brilliant guidance to the use of the book in teaching. He organized the contents into different courses, such as “Introduction to semiconductor physics”, “Carriers in semiconductors” “Semiconductor photonics”, “Defects in semiconductors and “Crystalline amorphous and superlattice semiconductors”. He also provides some challenging problems for the students. Of course, as was pointed out by the author himself, a book covering such a large variety of subjects and written by one person may necessarily lack the depth provided by experts in their own fields of specialization. However, as the development of science makes its various disciplines
interpenetrate into each other further and further, a wide-based understanding of the whole field is now not only helpful, but is really essential, especially for those, for whom the book is written, who are endeavoring to further unravel the exciting puzzles of nature, and who are helping to create the foundation for the development of new and better semiconductor devices. We therefore look forward to the publication of the next volume of this book which is dealing with inhomogeneous semiconductors, and perhaps, a better printing quality (especially for figures) for future editions rather than the camera-ready form at present.
References
,
[1] L. Esaki and R. Tsu, IBM J. Res. Dev. 61(1970). [2] K. von KJitzing, G. Doreda and M. Pepper, Phys. Rev. Lett. 45 (1980) 494. [3] A.M. Chang, P. Bergiund, D.C. Tsui, H.L. Stormer and J.C.M. Hwang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 53 (1984) 997. [41MD. Sturge and M-H. Meynadier, J. Lumin. 44 ~1989) [5] For DX centers, see D.J. Chadi and K.J. Chang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 61 (1988) 873. For EL2 centers, see D.J. Chadi and K.J. Chang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 60 (1988) 2187.