Abstract

Electronic materials are formed primarily from exquisitely pure Group 13, 14, and 15 (III, IV, and V) elements and alloys. These semiconductor crystals can be regarded as giant covalent molecules having weak electron-atom interactions that result in long-lived excited states. Historically germanium and silicon, and more recently the III-V semiconductors, have been utilized. The progress in solid-state electronics has been paced by the ability to produce ultrapure materials and to control the chemical bonding of these materials, particularly at surfaces and interfaces. Techniques such as molecular beam epitaxy and organometallic chemical vapor deposition are employed in the fabrication of these materials.