Low Temperature Electronics

Low Temperature Electronics: Physics, Devices, Circuits, and Applications summarizes the recent advances in cryoelectronics starting from the fundamentals in physics and semiconductor devices to electronic systems, hybrid superconductor-semiconductor technologies, photonic devices, cryocoolers and thermal management. Furthermore, this book provides an exploration of the currently available theory, research, and technologies related to cryoelectronics, including treatment of the solid state physical properties of the materials used in these systems. Current applications are found in infrared systems, satellite communications and medical equipment. There are opportunities to expand in newer fields such as wireless and mobile communications, computers, and measurement and scientific equipment. Low temperature operations can offer certain advantages such as higher operational speeds, lower power dissipation, shorter signal transmission times, higher semiconductor and metal thermal conductivities, and improved digital and analog circuit performance.The computer, telecommunication, and cellular phone market is pushing the semiconductor industry towards the development of very aggressive device and integrated circuit fabrication technologies. This is taking these technologies towards the physical miniaturization limit, where quantum effects and fabrication costs are becoming a technological and economical barrier for further development. In view of these limitations, operation of semiconductor devices and circuits at low temperature (cryogenic temperature) is studied in this book.