Silicon carbide (SiC) is a wide-bandgap semiconductor that can operate at temperatures well above 300ºC, where silicon cannot perform. In addition, due to a high thermal conductivity equal to copper at room temperature, SiC is an ideal candidate for operation in harsh environments and at high-power levels. Rapid advances in SiC materials and devices have recently resulted in implementation of SiC-based electronic systems, and the impact of these devices is expected to significantly increase in the next several years. This book documents the most recent results on growth of bulk and epitaxial layers, physical and structural properties, process technology, and device development obtained since the 10th International Conference on Silicon Carbide and Related Materials 2003 (ICSCRM2003) held in Lyon, France. Extended defects in silicon carbide are highlighted. The nature of defects induced by forward biasing of bipolar devices, as well as methods to suppress the degradation, are addressed.

The MRS Symposium Proceeding series is an internationally recognised reference suitable for researchers and practitioners.

The MRS Symposium Proceeding series is an internationally recognised reference suitable for researchers and practitioners.

Silicon Carbide - this easy to manufacture compound of silicon and carbon is said to be THE emerging material for applications in electronics. High thermal conductivity, high electric field breakdown strength and high maximum current density make it most promising for high-powered semiconductor devices. Apart from applications in power electronics, sensors, and NEMS, SiC has recently gained new interest as a substrate material for the manufacture of controlled graphene. SiC and graphene research is oriented towards end markets and has high impact on areas of rapidly growing interest like electric vehicles. This volume is devoted to high power devices products and their challenges in industrial application. Readers will benefit from reports on development and reliability aspects of Schottky barrier diodes, advantages of SiC power MOSFETs, or SiC sensors. The authors discuss MEMS and NEMS as SiC-based electronics for automotive industry as well as SiC-based circuit elements for high temperature applications, and the application of transistors in PV-inverters. The list of contributors reads like a "Who's Who" of the SiC community, strongly benefiting from collaborations between research institutions and enterprises active in SiC crystal growth and device development. Among the former are CREE Inc. and Fraunhofer ISE, while the industry is represented by Toshiba, Nissan, Infineon, NASA, Naval Research Lab, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, to name but a few.

Solar-cell performance is critically dependent on the optical and electrical properties of their constituent materials. In order to obtain significant improvements in performance for future generations of photovoltaic devices, it will be necessary to either improve the properties of existing materials or engineer new materials and device structures. This book focuses on materials issues and advances for photovoltaics. Topics include: dye-sensitized solar cells; nanoparticle/hybrid solar cells; polymer-based devices; small molecule-based devices; III-V semiconductors; II-VI semiconductors and transparent conducting oxides and silicon thin films.

The MRS Symposium Proceeding series is an internationally recognised reference suitable for researchers and practitioners.

The MRS Symposium Proceeding series is an internationally recognised reference suitable for researchers and practitioners.

The MRS Symposium Proceeding series is an internationally recognised reference suitable for researchers and practitioners. This book, first published in 2004, brings together researchers interested in strained SiGe, strain-relaxed buffers, strained Si on bulk Si and on SOI, SiGe on SOI, Ge substrates, and Ge on insulator.

Members of the sensor community come together here to discuss advances in the development of new or improved semiconductor materials and in the fundamental understanding of the physical/chemical/biological phenomena at the origin of the sensing mechanism. Contributions dealing with sensor electronics/signal processing, computing algorithms, and packaging are not included in the volume. Chemical, magnetic, radiation, acoustic, mechanical, and biosensors are featured, as are nanosensors. Several papers highlight advances in combinatorial materials synthesis and theoretical modeling, and simulation of gas-solid interactions based on density functional theory. A combined application of sophisticated experimental and theoretical tools aimed at design and synthesis of novel sensors may have a lasting impact on general research approaches in the chemical sensor community. Presentations from a joint session with Symposium K, Solid-State Ionics, are also included and focus on solid electrolytes for membrane applications to develop selective sensors. Topics include: advanced materials and processing; nanotubes and nanowires; solid state ionics-based sensors; modeling, mechanism and structure-properties relationships; biochemical sensors; integration; and physical sensors.