This book presents the latest developments in semiconducting materials
and devices, providing up-to-date information on the science, processes,
and applications in the field. A wide range of topics are covered,
including optoelectronic devices, metal-semiconductor junctions,
heterojunctions, MISFETs, LEDs, semiconductor lasers, photodiodes,
switching diodes, tunnel diodes, Gunn diodes, solar cells, varactor
diodes, IMPATT diodes, and advanced semiconductors. Detailed attention
is paid to advanced and futuristic materials. In addition, clear
explanations are provided of, for example, electron theories, high-field
effects, the Hall effect, transit-time effects, drift and diffusion,
breakdown mechanisms, equilibrium and transient conditions, switching,
and biasing. The book is designed to meet the needs of undergraduate
engineering students and will also be very useful for postgraduate
students; it will assist in preparation for examinations at colleges and
universities and for other examinations in engineering. Practice
questions are therefore presented in both essay and multiple choice
format, and many solved examples and unsolved problems are included.