Introduction to Applied Solid State Physics

The aim of this book is a discussion, at the introductory level, of some applications of solid state physics. The book evolved from notes written for a course offered three times in the Department of Physics of the University of California at Berkeley. The objects of the course were (a) to broaden the knowledge of graduate students in physics, especially those in solid state physics; (b) to provide a useful course covering the physics of a variety of solid state devices for students in several areas of physics; (c) to indicate some areas of research in applied solid state physics. To achieve these ends, this book is designed to be a survey of the physics of a number of solid state devices. As the italics indicate, the key words in this description are physics and survey. Physics is a key word because the book stresses the basic qualitative physics of the applications, in enough depth to explain the essentials of how a device works but not deeply enough to allow the reader to design one. The question emphasized is how the solid state physics of the application results in the basic useful property of the device. An example is how the physics of the tunnel diode results in a negative dynamic resistance. Specific circuit applications of devices are mentioned, but not emphasized, since expositions are available in the elec­ trical engineering textbooks given as references.

1. Review of Semiconductor Physics.- Metals, Insulators, and Semiconductors.- Band Structure Diagrams.- Holes in Semiconductors.- Effective Mass of Carriers in Semiconductors.- Conductivity of Semiconductors.- Carrier Density in an Intrinsic Semiconductor.- Impurity Conductivity (Extrinsic Conductivity).- Fermi Level Position in Extrinsic Semiconductors.- Carrier Lifetime in Semiconductors.- Problems.- References and Comments.- Suggested Reading.- 2. The Semiconductor p-n Junction.- Qualitative Discussion of the p-n Junction in Equilibrium.- Quantitative Treatment of the p-n Junction in Equilibrium.- Effect of an Applied Potential on Electron Energy Bands.- Diffusion and Recombination of Excess Carriers.- Qualitative Discussion of a Junction under an Applied Potential.- Qualitative Discussion of Current Flow in the Biased Junction.- Quantitative Treatment of Carrier Injection in the Junction.- Calculation of the Current through the Junction.- Majority and Minority Carrier Components of the Junction Current.- Summary of the Basic Physics of the p-n Junction.- Reverse Breakdown in p-n Junctions.- Other Topics on p-n Junctions.- Problems.- References and Comments.- Suggested Reading.- 3. Semiconductor p-n Junction Devices.- Semiconductor p-n Junction Diodes.- The Bipolar Junction Transistor.- Amplification in the Bipolar Transistor.- Current Gain in the Bipolar Transistor.- Circuit Configurations for Amplification with the Bipolar Transistor.- Quantitative Discussion of the Bipolar Transistor.- Summary of the Physics of Amplification in the Bipolar Transistor.- Tunnel Diodes.- The Junction Field Effect Transistor (jfet).- Physical Basis of the Current-Voltage Characteristic of the jfet.- Problems.- References and Comments.- Suggested Reading.- 4. Physics of Metal-Semiconductor and Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Junctions.- The Metal-Semiconductor Junction at Equilibrium.- Effect of an Applied Potential on the Metal-Semiconductor Junction.- Physics of the Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Structure.- Problems.- References and Comments.- Suggested Reading.- 5. Metal-Semiconductor and Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Devices.- Metal-Semiconductor (Schottky) Diodes.- The Insulated-Gate Field-Effect Transistor (igfet).- The Induced-Channel mosfet.- Summary of the Physics of Field-Effect Transistors.- Applications of the mosfet.- Charge-Coupled Devices.- Problems.- References and Comments.- Suggested Reading.- 6. Other Semiconductor Devices.- Semiconductor Surface States.- Band Structure at the Semiconductor Surface.- Calculation of the Amount e?s of Band Bending.- Effect of Surface States on Metal-Semiconductor Contacts.- Photoemission from Semiconductors.- Effect of the Surface on Photoemission.- Negative Electron Affinity in Semiconductors.- Physics of the Transferred Electron (Gunn) Effect.- Physics of Amorphous Semiconductors.- Amorphous Semiconductor Devices.- Problems.- References and Comments.- Suggested Reading.- 7. Detectors and Generators of Electromagnetic Radiation.- Intrinsic Photon Absorption in Semiconductors.- Photon Absorption by Bound States of Impurities in Semiconductors.- Threshold Energies for Photon Absorption.- Photoconductivity in Semiconductors.- Photodiodes.- Photovoltaic Devices.- Other Applications of Intrinsic Photoconductivity.- Summary on Semiconductor Photon Detectors.- Emission of Photons in Semiconductors.- p-n Junction Luminescence.- Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.- Solid State Lasers.- Semiconductor Injection Lasers.- Summary on Solid State Lasers.- Problems.- References and Comments.- Suggested Reading.- 8. Superconductive Devices and Materials.- Review of Some Aspects of Superconductivity.- Wave Function of the Condensed Phase of Pairs.- The Josephson Effects.- Physics of the DC Josephson Effect.- Physics of the AC Josephson Effect.- Voltage-Current Curves for Josephson Junctions.- Effect of Electromagnetic Radiation on the Junction.- Quantization of Magnetic Flux in a Superconducting Ring.- Superconducting Quantum Interference.- The Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (Squid).- Superconducting Materials: The Transition Temperature.- Problems.- References and Comments.- Suggested Reading.- 9. Physics and Applications of the Nonlinear Optical Properties of Solids.- Review of Electromagnetic Wave Propagation in Solids.- Electric Polarization in an Isotropic Linear Dielectric Solid.- Nonlinear Polarization and Nonlinear Susceptibility.- Anharmonic Oscillator Model of a Nonlinear Solid.- Summary of the Physical Picture of Nonlinear Polarization.- Tensor Nature of the Nonlinear Susceptibility.- Solid State Physics Factors Affecting the Nonlinear Susceptibility.- Magnitude of the Nonlinear Susceptibility.- Wave Equation for the Nonlinear Crystal.- Wave Propagation and Interaction in a Nonlinear Crystal.- Optical Second Harmonic Generation.- Phase Matching (Index Matching) in Second Harmonic Generation.- Frequency Mixing and Up-Conversion.- Parametric Amplification.- Summary.- Problems.- References and Comments.- Suggested Reading.- Appendix: References on Some Other Topics.- Author Index.