The Joy of Semiconductor Devices
A first principles based, continuously evolving, beginners guide to solid state physics and transistor devices.
Transistors are really wonderful little things that have changed our lives in countless ways. Semiconductors are so pervasive in our society that it helps to have a basic understanding from first principles. But textbooks are hard.
I am certain there’s a better way for the general, curious reader. This planned series of posts is my attempt at making an intuitive guide with a lot of diagrams and minimal equations. I want to straddle a line between writing a popular science series on semiconductors while taking quick dips into physics. I will not aim to be overly rigorous in explanations. I will try not to be wrong either.
I see this as a rather ambitious undertaking that will take many articles over a long period of time. It is also open ended. If you would like to support my endeavor in writing this guide, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription.
If you feel like you’re not ready for a paid upgrade, that’s completely fine! I thank you for being here. You can still support this publication by referring it to a friend or colleague. Just two referrals will unlock 1 month of a paid subscriber benefits!
If you can band together with a few interested folks, you get a 20% group discount on 3 or more subscriptions.
If you have questions or spot errors, please leave a comment on any listed post, or email me at substack(at)vsekar(dot)com. I’ll do my best to make any updates. I’d also appreciate your feedback and inputs on how this can be made better. You can also reach me on various social media outlets (X, LinkedIn, Bluesky).
Reading list
I’ll maintain a constantly updated reading list here which will consist of textbooks, seminal works, and free online resources.
Semiconductor Physics: Physics and Technology by S. M. Sze and M. K. Lee.
Modern Semiconductor Devices for Integrated Circuits (free pdf, slides)
Chapter 1: Phenomena at the Atomic Scale
1.1: Energy levels in semiconductors
1.2: Doping semiconductors, electron affinity, work function and Anderson's rule
1.3: How Electrons Move in Semiconductors: The Science of Carrier Drift
1.4: Diffusion transport in semiconductors and the continuity equation
1.5: Generation-recombination, quantum tunneling, and space charge effect
This is an incredible project. Thank you!