Solid state Engineering is a multi-disciplinary field that combines disciplines such as physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, materials science and mechanical engineering. It provides the means to understand matter and to design and control its properties.

The 20th century has witnessed the phenomenal rise of natural science and technology into all aspects of human life. Three major sciences have emerged and marked this century. Physical science which has strived to understand the structure of atoms through quantum mechanics, Life Sciences which has attempted to understand the structure of cells and the mechanisms of life through biology and genetics, and Information Sciences which has symbiotically developed the communicative and computational means to advanced natural science.

Microelectronics has become one of today's principle enabling technologies supporting these three major sciences and touches every aspect of human life: food, energy, transportation, communication, entertainment, health/medicine and exploration. For example, microelectronic devices have now become building blocks of systems which are used to monitor food s energy more efficiently (LED), control electrical vehicles (automobiles), transmit information (optical fiber and wireless communications), entertain (virtual reality, video games, computers), help cure or enhance the human body (artificial senses, optically activated medicine) and support the exploration of new realms (space, underwater).

A different approach has been envisioned for future advances in semiconductor science and technology in the 21st century. This will consist of reaching closer to the structure of atoms by employing nanoscale electronics. Indeed, the history of microelectronics has been, itself, characterized by a constant drive to imitate natural objects (e.g. the brain cell) and thus move towards lower dimensions in order to increase integration density, system functionality and performance (e.g. speed and power consumption).

Fundamentals of Solid State Engineering is structured in two major parts. It first addresses the basic physics concepts, which are at the base of solid state matter in general and semiconductors in particular. The second part reviews the technology for modern Solid State Engineering. This includes a review of compound semiconductor bulk and epitaxial thin films growth techniques, followed by a description of current semiconductor device processing and nano-fabrication technologies. A few examples of semiconductor devices and a description of their theory of operational are then discussed, including transistors, semiconductor lasers, and photodetectors.

Preface.
List of Symbols.
1: Crystalline Properties of Solids.

1.1. Introduction.
1.2. Crystal lattices and the seven crystal systems.
1.3. The unit cell concept.
1.4. Bravais lattices.
1.5. Point groups.
1.6. Space groups.
1.7. Directions and planes in crystals: Miller indices.
1.8. Real crystal structures.
1.9. Summary.

Further reading.
Problems.

2: Electronic Structure of Atoms.

2.1. Introduction.
2.2. Spectroscopic emission lines and atomic structure of hydrogen.
2.3. Atomic orbitals.
2.4. Structures of atoms with many electrons.
2.5. Bonds in solids.
2.6. Introduction to energy bands.
2.7. Summary.

Further reading.
Problems.

3: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics.

3.1. The quantum concepts.
3.2. Elements of quantum mechanics.
3.3. Simple quantum mechanical systems.
3.4. Reciprocal lattice.
3.5. Summary.

Further reading.
Problems.

4: Electrons and Energy Band Structures in Crystals.

4.1. Introduction.
4.2. Electrons in a crystal.
4.3. Band structures in real semiconductors.
4.4. Band structures in metals.
4.5. Summary.

References.
Further reading.
Problems.

5: Low Dimensional Quantum Structures.

5.1. Introduction.
5.2. Density of states (3D).
5.3. Two-dimensional structures: quantum wells.
5.4. One-dimensional structures: quantum wires.
5.5. Zero-dimensional structures: quantum dots.
5.6. Optical properties of 3D and 2D structures.
5.7. Examples of low dimensional structures.
5.8. Summary.

References.
Further reading.
Problems.

6: Phonons.

6.1. Introduction.
6.2. Interaction of atoms in crystals: origin and formalism.
6.3. One-dimensional monoatomic harmonic crystal.
6.4. Sound velocity.
6.5. One-dimensional diatomic harmonic crystal.
6.6. Phonons.
6.7. Summary.

Further reading.
Problems.

7: Thermal Properties of Crystals.

7.1. Introduction.
7.2. Phonon density of states (Debye model).
7.3. Heat capacity.
7.4. Thermal expansion.
7.5. Thermal conductivity.
7.6. Summary.

References.
Further reading.
Problems.

8: Equilibrium Charge Carrier Statistics in Semiconductors.

8.1. Introduction.
8.2. Density of states.
8.3. Effective density of states (conduction band).
8.4. Effective density of states (valence band).
8.5. Mass action law.
8.6. Doping: intrinsic vs. extrinsic semiconductor.
8.7. Charge neutrality.
8.8. Fermi energy as a function of temperature.
8.9. Carrier concentration in a semiconductor.
8.10. Summary.

Further reading.
Problems.

9: Non-Equilibrium Electrical Properties of Semiconductors.

9.1. Introduction.
9.2. Electrical conductivity.
9.3. Hall effect.
9.4. Charge carrier diffusion.
9.5. Quasi-Fermi energy.
9.6. Carrier generation and recombination mechanisms.
9.7. Summary.

Further reading.
Problems.

10: Semiconductor Junctions.

10.1. Introduction.
10.2. Ideal p-n junction at equilibrium.
10.3. Non-equilibrium properties of p-n junctions.
10.4. Deviations from the ideal p-n diode case.
10.5. Metal-semiconductor junctions.
10.6. Summary.

Further reading.
Problems.

11: Compound Semiconductors and Crystal Growth Techniques.

11.1. Introduction.
11.2. III-V semiconductor alloys.
11.3. Bulk single crystal growth techniques.
11.4. Epitaxial growth techniques.
11.5. Summary.

References.
Further reading.
Problems.

12: Semiconductor Device Technology.

12.1. Introduction.
12.2. Oxidation.
12.3. Diffusion of dopants.
12.4. Ion implantation of dopants.
12.5. Characterization of diffused and implanted layers.
12.6. Summary.

References.
Further reading.
Problems.

13: Semiconductor Device Processing.

13.1. Introduction.
13.2. Photolithography.
13.3. Electron-beam lithography.
13.4. Etching.
13.5. Metallization.
13.6. Packaging of devices.
13.7. Summary.

References.
Further reading.
Problems.

14: Transistors.

14.1. Introduction.
14.2. Overview of amplification and switching.
14.3. Bipolar junction transistors.
14.4. Heterojunction bipolar transistors.
14.5. Field effect transistors.
14.6. Summary.

References.
Problems.

15: Semiconductor Lasers.

15.1. Introduction.
15.2. Types of lasers.
15.3. General laser theory.
15.4. Ruby laser.
15.5. Semiconductor lasers.
15.6. Summary. References.

Further reading.
Problems.

16: Photodetectors.

16.1. Introduction.
16.2. Electromagnetic radiation.
16.3. Photodetector parameters.
16.4. Thermal detectors.
16.5. Photon detectors.
16.6. Examples of photon detectors.
16.7. Summary. References.

Further reading.
Problems.
Appendix.
References.
Index.