Learn the basic properties and designs of modern VLSI devices, as well as the factors affecting performance, with this thoroughly updated second edition. The first edition has been widely adopted as a standard textbook in microelectronics in many major US universities and worldwide. The internationally-renowned authors highlight the intricate interdependencies and subtle tradeoffs between various practically important device parameters, and also provide an in-depth discussion of device scaling and scaling limits of CMOS and bipolar devices. Equations and parameters provided are checked continuously against the reality of silicon data, making the book equally useful in practical transistor design and in the classroom. Every chapter has been updated to include the latest developments, such as MOSFET scale length theory, high-field transport model, and SiGe-base bipolar devices.

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Fundamentals of Modern VLSI Devices

Solution-processed organic–inorganic perovskite solar cells are hailed as the recent major breakthrough in low-cost photovoltaics. Power conversion efficiencies approaching those of crystalline Si solar cells (exceeding 15%) have been reported. Remarkably, such phenomenal performances were achieved in a matter of 5 years – up from ∼3.8% back in 2009. Since then, the field has expanded exponentially. In this perspective, we review the basic working mechanisms of perovskite solar cells in relation to their intrinsic properties and fundamental photophysics. The current state-of-the-art and the open questions in this maturing field are also highlighted.

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Advancements in perovskite solar cells: photophysics behind the photovoltaics

Semiconductor Power Devices

A parameterization for band-to-band Auger recombination in silicon at 300 K is proposed. This general parameterization accurately fits the available experimental lifetime data for arbitrary injection level and arbitrary dopant density, for both n-type and p-type dopants. We confirm that Auger recombination is enhanced above the traditional free-particle rate at both low injection and high injection conditions. Further, the rate of enhancement is shown to be less for highly injected intrinsic silicon than for lowly injected doped silicon, consistent with the theory of Coulomb-enhanced Auger recombination. Variations on the parameterization are discussed.

General parameterization of Auger recombination in crystalline silicon

In Part I we presented the first physics-based analytical model that unifies the descriptions of majority and minority carrier mobility and that includes screening of the impurities by charge carriers, electron-hole scattering and clustering of impurities. Here the model is extended to include the full temperature dependence of both majority and minority carrier mobility. Based on our model and experimental data on the minority carrier diffusion length as a function of temperature, the temperature dependence of the carrier lifetime is determined. The model is especially suited for device simulation purposes, because the carrier mobility is given as an analytical function of the donor, acceptor, electron and hole concentrations and of the temperature.

A unified mobility model for device simulation—II. Temperature dependence of carrier mobility and lifetime

The recombination kinetics in highly doped p‐ and n‐type silicon has been investigated at 77, 300, and 400 K through the radiative band‐to‐band recombination. The minority‐carrier lifetime depends quadratically on the doping concentration as expected for Auger recombination. The Auger coefficients at 300 K for p‐ and n‐type silicon are found to be Cp=9.9×10−32 cm6 s−1 and Cn=2.8×10−31 cm6 s−1. They are nearly independent of temperature in the range investigated. The Auger coefficient in highly excited pure silicon at 4.2 K (electron‐hole drops) is essentially the same as in highly doped silicon.

Auger coefficients for highly doped and highly excited silicon

Bhati and Arvind [Phys. Lett. A, 127955 (2022)] recently argued that in a specially designed experiment the timing of photon detection events demonstrates photon presence at a location at which they are not present according to the weak value approach. The alleged contradiction is resolved by a subtle interference effect resulting in anomalous sensitivity of the signal imprinted on the postselected photons for the interaction at this location, similarly to the case of a nested Mach-Zehnder interferometer with a Dove prism [Quant. Stud.: Mat. Found. 2, 255 (2015)]. We perform an in depth analysis of the characterization of the presence of a pre- and postselected particle at a particular location based on information imprinted on the particle itself. The theoretical results are tested by a computer simulation of the proposed experiment. 

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Photons are lying about where they have been, again

Randomised measurements provide a way of determining physical quantities without the need for a shared reference frame nor calibration of measurement devices. Therefore, they naturally emerge in situations such as benchmarking of quantum properties in the context of quantum communication and computation where it is difficult to keep local reference frames aligned. In this review, we present the advancements made in utilising such measurements in various quantum information problems focusing on quantum entanglement and Bell inequalities. We describe how to detect and characterise various forms of entanglement, including genuine multipartite entanglement and bound entanglement. Bell inequalities are discussed to be typically violated even with randomised measurements, especially for a growing number of particles and settings. Additionally, we provide an overview of estimating other relevant nonlinear functions of a quantum state or performing shadow tomography from randomised measurements. Throughout the review, we complement the description of theoretical ideas by explaining key experiments.

J. Dziewior

Papers

Auger coefficients for highly doped and highly excited silicon

Photons are lying about where they have been, again

Analysing quantum systems with randomised measurements