The development of electronic materials and particularly advances in semiconductor technology have played a central role in the electronics revolution by allowing the production of increasingly cheap and powerful computing equipment and advanced telecommunications devices. This Concise Encyclopedia, which incorporates relevant articles from the acclaimed Encyclopedia of Materials Science and Engineering as well as newly commissioned articles, emphasizes the materials aspects of semiconductors and the technologies important in solid-state electronics. Growth of bulk crystals and epitaxial layers are discussed in the volume and coverage is included of defects and their effects on device behavior. Metallization and passivation issues are also covered. Over 100 alphabetically arranged articles, written by world experts in the field, are each intended to serve as the first source of information on a particular aspect of electronic materials. The volume is extensively illustrated with photographs, diagrams and tables. A bibliography is provided at the end of each article to guide the reader to recent literature. A comprehensive system of cross-references, a three-level subject index and an alphabetical list of articles are included to aid readers in the abstraction of information.