The Electrical Engineering Handbook

6

Semiconductors

Michael Shur,     Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA

6.1. History of Semiconductors

6.2. Dielectrics, Semiconductors, and Metals

6.2.1. Chemical Bonds and Crystal Structure

6.2.2. Electrons and Holes

6.2.3. Band Diagrams

6.3. Electron and Hole Velocities and Mobilities

6.3.1. Impact Ionization

6.3.2. Optical Properties

6.4. Important Semiconductor Materials

References

6.1 History of Semiconductors

In 1821, the German physicist Tomas Seebeck first noticed unusual properties of semiconductor materials, such as lead sulfur (PbS). In 1833, the English physicist Michael Faraday reported that resistance of semiconductors decreased as temperature ...