| AVS 60th International Symposium and Exhibition | |
| Electronic Materials and Processing | Tuesday Sessions |
| Session EM-TuA |
| Session: | Evolution of Electronic Materials and the AVS |
| Presenter: | J. Woodall, University of California, Davis |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Most people on the planet have some form of a personal electronic device. Most professional scientists and engineers know that all of these devices were enabled by integrated circuit (IC) based “chips” that employ silicon (Si) field effect transistor (FET) technology. Currently the worldwide Si chip market is well in excess of $300 billion. One would not get an argument from someone who might claim that other than the airplane, Si chips were probably the single most revolutionary life-style changing breakthrough of the 20th century.
Important as this breakthrough was, it was limited to cost effective electronic devices and photo-detector ICs. However, only 7 years after the invention of the IC, another revolution was in the making: the invention of the lattice matched compound semiconductor heterojunction in 1967. This invention eventually morphed into, for example, injection lasers than enabled optical fiber communication, CD and DVD technology; high brightness and high efficiency visible (including white) LEDs that have enabled a photonic device industry that supplements the Si electronics industry. Furthermore, the heterojunction is employed in high speed, high power microwave devices that enabled cell phones and other remote wireless communication devices, e.g. i-phones, etc.
In this presentation the author will present a medium altitude review of how heterojunctions came about and why they do what they do.