The Physics of Low-Dimensional Semiconductors: An Introduction

By John H. Davies

Book Overview

Low-dimensional systems have revolutionized semiconductor physics and had a tremendous impact on technology. Using simple physical explanations, with reference to examples from actual devices, this book introduces the general principles essential to low-dimensional semiconductors. The author presents a formalism that describes low-dimensional semiconductor systems, studying two key systems in detail: the two-dimensional electron gas, employed in field-effect transistors, and the quantum well, whose optical properties have multiple applications in lasers and other opto-electronic devices. The book will be invaluable to undergraduate and first-year graduate physics or electrical engineering students taking courses in low-dimensional systems or heterostructure device physics.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 052148491X
• ISBN13: 9780521484916
• Release Date: December 1997
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 460 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 7.1" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

A wonderful reference

As a graduate student working on semiconductor devices, this book is an incredible reference. Davies only assumes about an undergraduate familiarity with the subject, making the text a great "bridge" from core textbooks to research papers. There have been many occasions when, upon not understanding a paper, reading a section in this book made everything clear.

It's a pretty good book for the condensed matter physics nerds...

I found the material interesting and I think it has a good balance of both theoretical material and practical information for experimental applications, so it should satiate most nerds interested in learning more about things like quantum wells, wires, and dots, approximation methods such as k.p perturbation theory, the quantum hall effect, and much more! There's a lot of focus on the optical properties of these low-d structures, which is good as there's really no better way to learn about the properties of matter than to study its interactions with light. HOWEVER, there's one thing about this book that drives me absolutely insane! It's a recurring annoyance, and pops up when he starts working with the Schrodinger equation and calculating the eigenvalues and eigenstates of electrons in electric fields. And that's his decision to use the letter "F" to represent the ELECTRIC field. His reason for doing this is to "avoid confusion with the energy." Well, aside from the fact that he uses a script "E" to represent the energy eigenvalues, which is easily differentiated from the normal "E", he really should have taken a minute to think about what might be confusing about using "F" for the E-field! Uhhhh, HELLo! Does the word "FORCE" ring a bell? Newton's second law, big motherfracking F = ma! For goodness sakes, don't ya think that might be a little confusing??? I know it's a niggling detail, but in the interest of full disclosure, I'm just letting the world know the pain and suffering I had to endure while reading the text. I don't wish it upon anyone, especially my fellow space cadets! :D

excellent introduction to quantum structures

i read this book and it seems to be very readable. it explains the physics behind the quantum heterostructures in a lucid and tractable manner. i recommend this volume before reading the treatise by weisbach & vinter. those who want to start research on quantum structures will find this book as an invaluable resource. its comprehensive and almost exhaustive.

A first taste of mesoscopic physics

Readable introductions to mesoscopic physics are few and far between, many being either far too simplistic and naive or too mired in formalism. Davies gives clear and lucid discussions of such topics as electron confinement in quantum wells, the integral quantum Hall effect, quantum point contacts, and MODFET's/HEMT's. Although by no means extensive and in depth, Davies does point out simplifications and refers the interested reader to relevant references for more details. Overall, it is a balanced introduction.This book is a useful point of entry for undergraduates to low-dimensional semiconductor physics. Reading this book is good preparation for more advanced and specialized literature including: Solid State Physics vol. 44 ed. Ehrenreich and Turnbull; Perspectives in Quantum Hall Effects, Das Sarma and Pinczuk.As with any new text, there are errata but an up to date webpage of corrections is maintained by the author.

Good Introduction

The first book you should read if you wanna do some Low Dimentional Electron Physics and only learned Solid State Physics before. It just covers all topics in this field --- with the knowledge in this book, you could read any new paper published recently.And this book's written style is very friendly --- just a textbook! So it could be finished in 2 days if you know the basic notions in Solid State Physics and concentrate on it.So there is no match for such a good introductory book --- there's no other ones like this --- I searched a lot when I tried to enter this field, and this is a good choice:)