Primers for Semiconductor Physics? 36
mactom asks: "Hello, I am a physics engineer with a background in lasers (non semiconductor), but during the last years I have slipped into a job in semiconductor technology development. We define the manufacturing technology and how the transistors, diodes and other devices are to be designed and manufactured on the silicon level. First I did lithography only but now I am involved in layout and design of devices and in the whole technology development. After all of this, I've discovered that I have some serious gaps in my semiconductor physics understanding! I need some suggestions for books, tutorials or even seminars (in Europe/Germany) about semiconductor physics. Yes, I have some books already, but I always have the feeling that I miss something important when I do some self studying. So, I need some 'semiconductor for dummies' books or seminars.Any suggestions?"
GE Transistor Manual (Score:2)
The first 20-30 pages is a very good introduction to basic semiconductor physics as it was known in the 60's. I first read it when I was in high school.
Britney's Guide to Semiconductor Physics (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Britney's Guide to Semiconductor Physics (Score:1)
Re:Britney's Guide to Semiconductor Physics (Score:4, Informative)
The standard physics text for intro solid state is Kittel. I would avoid this. Try Marder's text, Condensed Matter Physics. It is heady stuff, but if you want to dig deep it is a good source. An old classic for profs and grad students is Ashcroft & Mermin's text (something something solid state something).
Re:Oooh Look at me, I'm a Physics Engineer... (Score:3, Funny)
Friggin' lasers, you insensitive clod!
Do take a look at.... (Score:1, Funny)
Try Solid State Electronic Devices (Score:4, Informative)
Also there are a few graduate course materials at MIT's courseware that may be helpful.
Re:Try Solid State Electronic Devices (Score:2, Informative)
1. start with basic concepts in quantum mechanics and materials
2. find a correspondence to classical physics (F=ma) and electrodynamics (F = q E)
3. develop a basic
Mead and Conway... (Score:5, Informative)
books that actually started the whole field, and they had to explain what the whole semi technology was to the "non-initiated" physicists.
I know how you feel, I've been trying to make a similar transition from superconductor electronics back into the mainstream, and whereever I come I can start from discussing if the place uses classic Mead-Conway colors for their layouts, of if not why not?
Another good book which an older friend of mine swears by is the Andy Grove's book on semiconductor processes (more oriented towards fab than design), can not get the link now (maybe it is out of print), but the guy who had started Intel can not be TOO wrong, right?
Gray and Meyer wrote (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/04
this book, my new boss suggested it for me to read (took it off his bookshelf and it takes its well-deserved position on my desk now, I move it around once in a while to indicate the fact that I am checking it out
Make your pick!
Paul B.
a better tactical deployment (Score:2)
hmmm... is there any possible way that I could interest you in a job with Bin Laden Engineering, Inc.?
--signed,
Wile E. Coyote
you might have to email someone and ask nicely (Score:3, Informative)
They whip freshmen through most of what you'd learn better in a junior-level class on semiconductor physics and have them fab their own devices in a simple but effective laboratory. Carver Mead designed the course. Fun class!
You can't make up this stuff (Score:5, Funny)
I went to the Amazon URL provided for Mead & Conway in a prior post.
Halfway down the page, it says:
"Customers interested in Introduction to VLSI Systems may also be interested in:
Free service to meet singles"
Boy, their artificial intelligence systems are a lot sharper than I imagined!
Un-recommendation (Score:1)
Re:solid state physics (Score:1)
While quantum mechanics is the fundamental basis, a classical physics approach helps to develop an intuition. This is especially useful when i
Ashcroft & Mermin (Score:2, Informative)
Semiconductor Optoelectronic Devices (Score:3, Informative)
Title: Semiconductor Optoelectronic Devices, 2nd ed.
Publisher: Prentice-Hall, NJ, 1997
This is a good work. It's a grad textbook that starts simple and then becomes more involved. From the work you describe, I think it would be extremely applicable and helpful.
I recommend Simon Sze (Score:4, Informative)
Sze, Wolf, and Grove (Score:3, Informative)
S. M. Sze's "Physics of Semiconductor Devices" is something of a standard which I saw on many bookshelves. It's something of a survey, touching on all of the technologies without really going into depth on any.
Stanley Wolf's 3-volume set "Silicon Processing in the VLSI Era" is encyclopedic on processing and modelling (and the modelling part goes into the physics in a lot of depth) of CMOS and related processes.
And my boss used to rave about Grove's book, but I've never seen a copy.
This is all "vertical" stuff. If your interests are "horizontal" (that is, laying out the circuits rather than building up the devices) then none of it will work for you.
Good book for both CMOS and bipolar device physics (Score:4, Informative)
Helpful references. (Score:4, Informative)
This is the semiconductor devices bible for electrical and computer engineering (in North America, at least).
Excellent book recapping device behavior and describing analog circuits and the issues that come up when you're trying to integrate elements on a die.
This also covers layout and circuit issues, though mostly for digital logic design.
If you want to do digital logic intelligently, or design analog circuits that do their job with precision and effectiveness, you need to go back to school and get a Comp Eng degree. If you want an idea of how engineers use the devices you're trying to optimize, and what factors are important for usability and performance, these books will do.
Re:Helpful references. (Score:2)
Isn't that what EE is?
Re:Helpful references. (Score:1)
Re:Helpful references. (Score:2)
Isn't that what EE is?
Depends on the university. About 10-20 years ago, this was true. Right now, around here at least you have EE, CS, and CE as distinct disciplines:
Semiconductor Device Book (Score:1, Informative)
Another introductory text that has more discussion that could be beneficial for self-study is Ben Streetman's "Solid-state Electronic De
My PhD Bookshelf (Score:2, Informative)
From http://www.avtechpulse.com/faq.html/VII/ (Score:1)
Gerold W. Neudeck, "The PN Junction Diode", 2nd ed., Vol. 2 of the "Modular Series on Solid State Devices", Addison-Wesley. 1989. TK7871.86.N48. This short book has the best diagrams illustrating electron/hole movement in the PN junction that I've seen. Very concise. Highly recommended, if you are interested in diode physics.
In fact, the entire Modular Series is worth owning. There are books are semiconductor fundamentals, bipolar transistors, FETs, fabrication and manufacturing, "advanced fundamentals",
I worked for Cadence and... (Score:2, Informative)
Anyway, Good luck. I think this is the single toughest tech skillset out there - particularly Physical Verification of chip design.
So, if you live in the Bay Area check out UCB Extension...
Radioshack (Score:2)
All are an easy read, and very clear with good pictures. They make it really easy to understand.
They are ~8x11 and are thin paperbacks. Absolutely great. I think even kids can understand (assuming they can handle the terminology)
Link to books: (Score:2)