Crystal Line

For much of the past 60 years, the U.S. research community dominated the discovery of new crystalline materials and the growth of large single crystals, placing the country at the forefront of fundamental advances in condensed-matter sciences and fueling the development of many of the new technologies at the core of U.S. economic growth. The opportunities offered by future developments in this field remain as promising as the achievements of the past. However, the past 20 years have seen a substantial deterioration in the United States' capability to pursue those opportunities at a time when several European and Asian countries have significantly increased investments in developing their own capacities in these areas. This book seeks both to set out the challenges and opportunities facing those who discover new crystalline materials and grow large crystals and to chart a way for the United States to reinvigorate its efforts and thereby return to a position of leadership in this field.

A reissue of a classic Oxford text. The book sets out theoretical concepts and makes comparisons with experiments for a wide variety of phenomena in non-crystalline materials.

Provides a summary of non-equilibrium glassy and amorphous structures and their macro- and microscopic thermal properties. The book contains a carefully selected works of fourteen internationally recognized scientists involving the advances of the physics and chemistry of the glassy and amorphous states.

“No dragons, but [Crystal Singer] has all of [Anne] McCaffrey's gifts for world-building and characterization . . . an excellent book.”—Chicago Sun-Times Her name was Killashandra Ree; and after ten grueling years of musical training she was young, beautiful—and still without prospects. Then she heard of the mysterious Heptite Guild on the planet Ballybran, where the fabled Black Crystal was found. For those qualified, the Guild was said to provide careers, security, and the chance for wealth beyond imagining. The problem was, few people who landed on Ballybran ever left. To Killashandra the risks were acceptable . . .

Electronic devices based on oxide semiconductors are the focus of much attention, with crystalline materials generating huge commercial success. Indium–gallium–zinc oxide (IGZO) transistors have a higher mobility than amorphous silicon transistors, and an extremely low off-state current. C-axis aligned crystalline (CAAC) IGZO enables aggressive down-scaling, high reliability, and process simplification of transistors in displays and LSI devices. This original book introduces the CAAC-IGZO structure, and describes the physics and technology of this new class of oxide materials. It explains the crystallographic classification and characteristics of crystalline oxide semiconductors, their crystallographic characteristics and physical properties, and how this unique material has made a major contribution to the field of oxide semiconductor thin films. Two further books in this series describe applications of CAAC-IGZO in flat-panel displays and LSI devices. Key features: Introduces the unique and revolutionary, yet relatively unknown crystalline oxide semiconductor CAAC-IGZO Presents crystallographic overviews of IGZO and related compounds. Offers an in-depth understanding of CAAC-IGZO. Explains the fabrication method of CAAC-IGZO thin films. Presents the physical properties and latest data to support high-reliability crystalline IGZO based on hands-on experience. Describes the manufacturing process the CAAC-IGZO transistors and introduces the device application using CAAC-IGZO.