In this preliminary chapter discussing the fundamentals of semiconductor, the electrical and electronic materials are classified. Importance of semiconducting materials and their scope are elaborated. Conductors, semiconductors and dielectrics are differentiated from each other on the basis of energy bandgap. Different types of semiconducting materials, their merits and characteristics are listed. Various elemental form, compound and alloyed semiconductors are described. Basic semiconducting devices along with their working principles are briefed. Latest developments in the field of semiconducting materials have been included; the main among them are emerging and futuristic spintronic materials, ferromagnetic semiconductors, emerging wide bandgap semiconductors, left-handed materials, photocatalytic semiconductors, integrated circuit purpose semiconductors etc. Minute insight into the various topics are given through solved numerical and theoretical examples. Review questions, numerical problems and objective type questions are also given with their answers.
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