Semiconductor Device Fundamentals

by Robert F. Pierret

Publisher: Addison Wesley
ISBN: 0201543931

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Book Description

From one of the principal authors of the Addison-Wesley Modular Series on Solid State Devices comes a first: an authoritative and innovative text for the undergraduate course, Semiconductor Device Fundamentals by Robert F. Pierret of Purdue University. By incorporating computer-based exercises and homework problems and providing interesting supplementary readings, the author gives students a meaningful and challenging experience in their first substantial encounter with semiconductor devices.

Special Features

• Computer-based exercises and homework problems -- unique to this text and comprising 25% of the total number of problems -- encourage students to address realistic and challenging problems, experiment with "what if" scenarios, and easily obtain graphical outputs. Problems are designed to progressively enhance MATLAB®-use proficiency, so students need not be familiar with MATLAB at the start of your course. Program scripts that are answers to exercises in the text are available at no charge in electronic form (see Teaching Resources below).
• Supplement and Review "Mini-Chapters" after each of the text's three parts contain an extensive review list of terms, test-like problem sets with answers, and detailed suggestions on supplemental reading to reinforce students' learning and help them prepare for exams.
• Read-Only Chapters, strategically placed to provide a change of pace during the course, provide informative, yet enjoyable reading for students.
• Measurement Details and Results samples offer students a realistic perspective on the seldom-perfect nature of device characteristics, contrary to the way they are often represented in introductory texts.

Content Highlights

• Covers basic terminology, models, properties, and concepts associated with semiconductors and semiconductor devices.
• Provides detailed coverage of the internal workings of such "building-block" device structures as the pn junction diode, Schottky diode, BJT, and MOSFET.
• Includes coverage of a variety of additional devices such as solar cells, LEDs, HBTs, and modern field effect devices.

Teaching Resources

• In-text Problem Information Tables after each chapter assist you in assigning homework. The tables rate end-of-chapter problems according to their difficulty, suggest credit or point weighting, and list the text section that must be completed prior to working the given problem.
• Program files of the MATLAB scripts associated with the computer-based exercises are available via ftp (ftp://ftp.mathworks.com/pub/books/pierret) or distributed free on disk by MathWorks, Inc. (both Macintosh and IBM-PC compatible versions)
• Crib-sheet-like equation summaries are included in the critical beginning chapters.
• A Solutions Manual with Instructor's Disk is available for both IBM-PC and Macintosh. Solutions Manual includes solutions to all end-of-chapter problems. Instructor's Disk contains MATLAB problem file solutions and a suggested day-by-day course outline. (Available only through your sales rep.)

Customer Reviews

Pierret is an excellent author and explains fundamental concepts in plain language. After the initial treatment of Miller indices and quantum mechanics, the coverage for pn diodes begins. This is where the book shines. The coverage is extremely thorough, the derivations are done without skipping any important calculations (unless they're unnecessary or too complex for the scope of the book), and the reader is always pointed toward the most important results. This coverage serves an excellent preparation for studying the BJT, which is likewise covered well. Done especially well are the energy band diagrams for pn junctions and BJTs. Pierret understands that knowing the energy band diagrams well means knowing the device well and emphasizes this fact.

However, his coverage of quantum mechanics is quick and he glosses over several important concepts, such as the finite potential well. While this isn't necessary for normal coursework, some coverage for the interested reader would be nice.

While I liked his coverage of the JFET and that it was the beginning coverage for FETs (since it is the most simple of FETs), I did not like the MOSFET coverage. He never really makes the conceptual leap between the MOS-C and the MOSFET. Then again, I haven't really seen a book that does a great job with this.

All in all, this book is an excellent introduction to semiconductor devices, and even some OK coverage of advanced devices. I would NOT recommend this book for self-study unless the reader is very comfortable with math up to differential equations and is somewhat familiar with semiconductor fundamentals already (pn junctions, doping, etc.)

Pierret is one of those rare scientific writers that can clearly convey concepts! This book is essentially a compilation of his modular series - but slightly less detailed. In it, he provides all the basics of semiconductors and devices (PN diodes, BJTs, FETs and so on). He also treats some of the intermediate device phenomena such as short channel effects with his usual clarity.

For my money, all I need are Pierret and Streetman!!

Concepts are presented in an orderly fashion, well suited for an undergraduate introduction. Significantly challenging concepts are covered in computer exercises. It does stick to the simpler devices: diodes and transistors. Those who work in the semiconductor field would obviously need more than this, but does provide a solid base of knowledge.