The p-n junction was invented in the ? rst half of the twentieth century and the latter half saw the birth of light emitting diodes: red and yellow/green in the 1960s and yellow in the 1970s. However, theoretical predictions of the improbabilityofsynthesizingp-typewidebandgapsemiconductorscastalong shadow over hopes for devices emitting in the elusive blue part of the elect- magnetic spectrum, which would complete, with red and green, the quest for the primary colors making up white light. At a time when many researchers abandoned their e? orts on nitrides, Professor Isamu Akasaki of Nagoya U- versity at this time remained committed to his belief that "synthesis of high quality GaN crystals would eventually enable p-type doping" and in 1989 he succeeded in fabricating the world's ? rst GaN p-n junction light emitting diode. Professor Isamu Akasaki kindly accepted our invitation to contribute to this book and describes his journey 'from the nitride wilderness' to the ? rst experimental results of blue emission from GaN p-n junctions: Japan's major contribution to the development of wide bandgap semiconductor devices. The discovery of blue emission from GaN p-n junctions in 1989 was the major technological turning point during the development of wide bandgap emission devices with wide reaching scienti? c, industrial and social impli- tions.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
Development and Applications of Wide Bandgap Semiconductors. - Fundamental Properties of Wide Bandgap Semiconductors. - Photonic Devices. - Electronic Devices. - Novel Nano-Heterostructure Materials and Related Devices. - Crystal Growth.
