B.G. Yacobi - Böcker

Microcharacterization of materials is a rapidly advancing field. Among the many electron and ion probe techniques, the cathodoluminescence mode of an electron probe instrument has reached a certain maturity, which is reflected by an increas­ ing number of publications in this field. The rapid rate of progress in applications of cathodoluminescence techniques in characterizing inorganic solids has been especially noticeable in recent years. The main purpose of the book is to outline the applications of cath­ odoluminescence techniques in the assessment of optical and electronic proper­ ties of inorganic solids, such as semiconductors, phosphors, ceramics, and min­ erals. The assessment provides, for example, information on impurity levels derived from cathodoluminescence spectroscopy, analysis of dopant concentra­ tions at a level that, in some cases, is several orders of magnitude lower than that attainable by x-ray microanalysis, the mapping of defects, and the determination of carrier lifetimes and the charge carrier capture cross sections of impurities. In order to make the book self-contained, some basic concepts of solid-state phys­ ics, as well as various cathodoluminescence techniques and the processes leading to luminescence phenomena in inorganic solids, are also described. We hope that this book will be useful to both scientists and graduate students interested in microcharacterization of inorganic solids. This book, however, was not intended as a definitive account of cathodoluminescence analysis of in­ organic solids. In considering the results presented here, readers should re­ member that many materials have properties that vary widely as a function of preparation conditions.

The main objective of this book is to systematically describe the basic principles of the most widely used techniques for the analysis of physical, structural, and compositional properties of solids with a spatial resolution of approxi­ mately 1 ~m or less. Many books and reviews on a wide variety of microanalysis techniques have appeared in recent years, and the purpose of this book is not to replace them. Rather, the motivation for combining the descriptions of various mi­ croanalysis techniques in one comprehensive volume is the need for a reference source to help identify microanalysis techniques, and their capabilities, for obtaining particular information on solid-state materials. In principle, there are several possible ways to group the various micro­ analysis techniques. They can be distinguished by the means of excitation, or the emitted species, or whether they are surface or bulk-sensitive techniques, or on the basis of the information obtained. We have chosen to group them according to the means of excitation. Thus, the major parts of the book are: Electron Beam Techniques, Ion Beam Techniques, Photon Beam Techniques, Acoustic Wave Excitation, and Tunneling of Electrons and Scanning Probe Microscopies. We hope that this book will be useful to students (final year undergrad­ uates and graduates) and researchers, such as physicists, material scientists, electrical engineers, and chemists, working in a wide variety of fields in solid­ state sciences.

The technological progress is closely related to the developments of various materials and tools made of those materials. Even the different ages have been defined in relation to the materials used. Some of the major attributes of the present-day age (i.e., the electronic materials’ age) are such common tools as computers and fiber-optic telecommunication systems, in which semiconductor materials provide vital components for various mic- electronic and optoelectronic devices in applications such as computing, memory storage, and communication. The field of semiconductors encompasses a variety of disciplines. This book is not intended to provide a comprehensive description of a wide range of semiconductor properties or of a continually increasing number of the semiconductor device applications. Rather, the main purpose of this book is to provide an introductory perspective on the basic principles of semiconductor materials and their applications that are described in a relatively concise format in a single volume. Thus, this book should especially be suitable as an introductory text for a single course on semiconductor materials that may be taken by both undergraduate and graduate engineering students. This book should also be useful, as a concise reference on semiconductor materials, for researchers working in a wide variety of fields in physical and engineering sciences.

Microcharacterization of materials is a rapidly advancing field. Among the many electron and ion probe techniques, the cathodoluminescence mode of an electron probe instrument has reached a certain maturity, which is reflected by an increas­ ing number of publications in this field. The rapid rate of progress in applications of cathodoluminescence techniques in characterizing inorganic solids has been especially noticeable in recent years. The main purpose of the book is to outline the applications of cath­ odoluminescence techniques in the assessment of optical and electronic proper­ ties of inorganic solids, such as semiconductors, phosphors, ceramics, and min­ erals. The assessment provides, for example, information on impurity levels derived from cathodoluminescence spectroscopy, analysis of dopant concentra­ tions at a level that, in some cases, is several orders of magnitude lower than that attainable by x-ray microanalysis, the mapping of defects, and the determination of carrier lifetimes and the charge carrier capture cross sections of impurities. In order to make the book self-contained, some basic concepts of solid-state phys­ ics, as well as various cathodoluminescence techniques and the processes leading to luminescence phenomena in inorganic solids, are also described. We hope that this book will be useful to both scientists and graduate students interested in microcharacterization of inorganic solids. This book, however, was not intended as a definitive account of cathodoluminescence analysis of in­ organic solids. In considering the results presented here, readers should re­ member that many materials have properties that vary widely as a function of preparation conditions.