Advances in Amorphous Semiconductors

Amorphous materials differ significantly from their crystalline counterparts in several ways that create unique issues in their use. This book explores these issues and their implications, and provides a full treatment of both experimental and theoretical studies in the field. Advances in Amorphous Semiconductors covers a wide range of studies on hydrogenated amorphous silicon, amorphous chalcogenides, and some oxide glasses. It reviews structural properties, properties associated with the charge carrier-phonon interaction, defects, electronic transport, photoconductivity, and some applications of amorphous semiconductors. The book explains a number of recent advances in semiconductor research, including some of the editors' own findings. It addresses some of the problems associated with the validity of the effective mass approximation, whether K is a good quantum number, and the concepts of phonons and excitons. It also discusses recent progress made in understanding light-induced degradations in amorphous semiconductors, which is seen as the most limiting problem in device applications. The book presents a comprehensive review of both experimental and theoretical studies on amorphous semiconductors, which will be useful to students, researchers, and instructors in the field of amorphous solids.