Publisher Description

>"Quantum Phenomena do not occur in a Hilbert space. They occur in a laboratory>". - Asher PeresSemiconductor physics is a laboratory to learn and discover the concepts of quantum mechanics and thermodynamics, condensed matter physics, and materials science, and the payoffs are almost immediate in the form of useful semiconductor devices. Debdeep Jena has had the opportunity to work on both sides of the fence - on the fundamentalmaterials science and quantum physics of semiconductors, and in their applications in semiconductor electronic and photonic devices. In Quantum Physics of Semiconductors and Nanostructures, Jena uses this experienceto make each topic as tangible and accessible as possible to students at all levels.Consider the simplest physical processes that occur in semiconductors: electron or hole transport in bands and over barriers, collision of electrons with the atoms in the crystal, or when electrons and holes annihilate each other to produce a photon. The correct explanation of these processes require a quantum mechanical treatment. Any shortcuts lead to misconceptions that can take years todispel, and sometimes become roadblocks towards a deeper understanding and appreciation of the richness of the subject. A typical introductory course on semiconductor physics would then requireprerequisites of quantum mechanics, statistical physics and thermodynamics, materials science, and electromagnetism. Rarely would a student have all this background when (s)he takes a course of this nature in most universities. Jena's work fills in these gaps and gives students the background and deeper understanding of the quantum physics of semiconductors and nanostructures.

Author Biography

Debdeep Jena is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering at Cornell University. His research and teaching interests are in the quantum physics, technology, and device applications of semiconductor and superconductor heterostructures such as III-V nitrides and oxides, and 2-dimensional crystals. He leads a research group that combines experiments and theory to investigate charge, heat, and spin transport in highlycrystalline solids, and uses them to explore fundamental limits of electronic, photonic, and quantum devices. The research of this group has been published in approximately 300 papers, generated severalpatents, and recognized by international awards.

Table of Contents

I Fundamentals1: And Off We Go!2: Secrets of the Classical Electron3: Quantum Mechanics in a Nutshell4: Damned Lies, and Statistics5: Electrons in the Quantum World6: Red or Blue pill: Befriending the Matrix7: Perturbations to the Electron's FreedomII Bands, Doping, and Heterostructures8: Electrons in a Crystal get their Bands, Gaps and Masses9: Bloch theorem, Bandstructure, and Quantum Currents10: Crystal Clear: Bandstructure of the Empty Lattice11: Tight-Binding Bandstructure12: k . p Bandstructure13: 1, 2, 3 ...: Pseudopotentials and Exact Bandstructure14: Doping and Heterostructures: The Effective Mass Method15: Carrier Statistics and Energy Band Diagrams16: Controlling Electron Traffic in the k-SpaceIII Quantum Electronics with Semiconductors17: Game of Modes: Quantized R, L, and C18: Junction Magic: Schottky, pn and Bipolar Transistors19: Zeroes and Ones: The Ballistic Transistor20: Fermi's Golden Rule21: No Turning Back: The Boltzmann Transport Equation22: Taking the Heat: Phonons and Electron-Phonon Interactions23: Scattering, Mobility, and Velocity Saturation24: Through the Barrier: Tunneling & Avalanches25: Running Circles: Quantum MagnetotransportIV Quantum Photonics with Semiconductors26: Let there be Light: Maxwell Equations27: Light-Matter Interaction28: Heavenly Light: Solar Cells and Photodetectors29: Reach for the stars: Lasers and LEDs30: Every End is a New Beginning

Review

Engaging, attractively presented, and very clear. This book truly fills a gap. * Chris G. Van de Walle, University of California, Santa Barbara *

Long Description

"Quantum Phenomena do not occur in a Hilbert space. They occur in a laboratory". - Asher PeresSemiconductor physics is a laboratory to learn and discover the concepts of quantum mechanics and thermodynamics, condensed matter physics, and materials science, and the payoffs are almost immediate in the form of useful semiconductor devices. Debdeep Jena has had the opportunity to work on both sides of the fence - on the fundamental materials science and quantum physics of semiconductors, and in their applications in semiconductor electronic and photonic devices. In Quantum Physics ofSemiconductors and Nanostructures, Jena uses this experience to make each topic as tangible and accessible as possible to students at all levels.Consider the simplest physical processes that occur in semiconductors: electron or hole transport in bands and over barriers, collision of electrons with the atoms in the crystal, or when electrons and holes annihilate each other to produce a photon. The correct explanation of these processes require a quantum mechanical treatment. Any shortcuts lead to misconceptions that can take years to dispel, and sometimes become roadblocks towards a deeper understanding and appreciation of the richnessof the subject. A typical introductory course on semiconductor physics would then require prerequisites of quantum mechanics, statistical physics and thermodynamics, materials science, and electromagnetism. Rarely would a student have all this background when (s)he takes a course of this nature inmost universities. Jena's work fills in these gaps and gives students the background and deeper understanding of the quantum physics of semiconductors and nanostructures.

Review Quote

Engaging, attractively presented, and very clear. This book truly fills a gap.

Feature

Adopts a flexible pedagogical approach, as the 4 main chapters can be taught as stand-alone modulesCovers the historical development of the subject, as well as its current statusFeatures end-of-chapter problems to solidify understanding and encourage independent learning

Details