Encyclopedia of Applied Physics

Rating:
Summary: A Glimpse of the Technological Future
Review: Nobody knows the future. But in an ever upward spiralling of technological complexity, it helps to see the scientific underpinnings suggested by this book. It is aimed squarely at the intersection of applied physics with engineering.

Here are discussions on the various possible improvements in semiconductors. How much longer can Moore's Law run? Will silicon still remain the most important semiconductor? Does gallium arsenide have a possibility of being more than a niche product for high speed circuitry? Can optical processing be integrated into standard silicon-based technology?

Plus solid expositions on the field of high temperature superconductors. Since 1987, the field has been largely confined to pure research. The technological spinoffs have been modest, due, in part, to a still incomplete theoretical framework. Plus also practical synthesis problems.

This Update 2 keeps us abrest of the latest important unfoldings in this field.