Semiconductor Physics

Semiconductor physics is recognised as one of the major areas of condensed matter science and forms the core of modern solid-state device technology.

The group was formed in 1982 in response to the need for a common forum for industrial and university researchers concerned with the physics, preparation and application of semiconducting materials and device structures. The group contains a large number of members, and they have a broad range of backgrounds often extending beyond physics to electronics, chemistry, and materials science. The group has always interacted closely with government funding bodies.

We are very active in supporting the organisation of scientific meetings, ranging from an afternoon to several days in duration. The character of the meetings varies from those appropriate for first-year postgraduates, to conferences of international standard. The annual UK Semiconductor conference is a large two-day event at which all interests within the group are represented. We are also keen to support meetings held jointly with other Groups, when common interest makes this desirable. Such meetings are often concerned with the preparation of complex multilayer semiconductor structures by techniques such as molecular beam epitaxy and metal organic chemical vapour deposition and in the development and application of scientific methods to probe the physics of these structures. Important questions arise in our understanding of the physics of solids when electrons are confined in very narrow potential wells and when carrier movement is restricted to one and two dimensions. A range of new solid-state devices is now being made based on recent discoveries in this area and many more potential devices have been proposed. Thus the device technologists are constantly interacting with scientists probing fundamental aspects of the field and a forum where ideas can be exchanged ideas is particularly important at the present time.