2
1 Introduction
Fig. 1.1 Current through a
silver–CuFeS 2 –silver
structure as a function of
the current through the
metal only, 1874. Data
points are for different
applied voltages.
Experimental data
from [24]
1821
T.J. Seebeck—discovery of thermopower (electrical phenomena upon temperature difference) in metals
and PbS, FeS 2 , CuFeS 2 [11, 12].
1833
M. Faraday—discovery of the temperature dependence of the conductivity of Ag 2 S (sulphuret of silver,
negative dR/dT ) [13].
1839
A.E. Becquerel
1 —photoelectric effect (production of a photocurrent when electrodes covered by copper or silver halides salts (in an electrolyte) were illuminated by solar light) [14–17].
1834
J. Peltier—discovery of the Peltier effect (cooling by current) [18].
1873
W. Smith—discovery of photoconductivity in selenium [19, 20]. Early work on photoconductivity in
Se is reviewed in [21, 22].
1874
F. Braun
2 —discovery of rectification in metal–sulfide semiconductor contacts [24], e.g. for CuFeS 2
and PbS. The current through a metal–semiconductor contact is nonlinear (as compared to that through
a metal, Fig. 1.1), i.e. a deviation from Ohm’s law. Braun’s structure is similar to a MSM diode.
1876
W.G. Adams and R.E. Day—discovery of the photovoltaic effect in selenium [25].
W. Siemens—large response from selenium photoconductor [26], made by winding two thin platinum
wires to the surface of a sheet of mica, and then covering the surface with a thin film of molten selenium.
Resistance ratio between dark and illuminated by sunlight was larger than ten [26] and measured to
14.8 in [27].
1879
E.H. Hall—measurement of the transverse potential difference in a thin gold leaf on glass [28, 29].
Experiments were continued by his mentor H.A. Rowland [30]. A detailed account of the discovery of
the Hall efect is given in [31, 32].
1 This is Edmond Becquerel; his son Henri Becquerel received the Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of radioactivity.
2 F. Braun made his discoveries on metal–semiconductor contacts in Leipzig while a teacher at the Thomasschule zu
Leipzig [23]. He conducted his famous work on vacuum tubes later as a professor in Strasbourg, France.
1 Introduction
Fig. 1.1 Current through a
silver–CuFeS 2 –silver
structure as a function of
the current through the
metal only, 1874. Data
points are for different
applied voltages.
Experimental data
from [24]
1821
T.J. Seebeck—discovery of thermopower (electrical phenomena upon temperature difference) in metals
and PbS, FeS 2 , CuFeS 2 [11, 12].
1833
M. Faraday—discovery of the temperature dependence of the conductivity of Ag 2 S (sulphuret of silver,
negative dR/dT ) [13].
1839
A.E. Becquerel
1 —photoelectric effect (production of a photocurrent when electrodes covered by copper or silver halides salts (in an electrolyte) were illuminated by solar light) [14–17].
1834
J. Peltier—discovery of the Peltier effect (cooling by current) [18].
1873
W. Smith—discovery of photoconductivity in selenium [19, 20]. Early work on photoconductivity in
Se is reviewed in [21, 22].
1874
F. Braun
2 —discovery of rectification in metal–sulfide semiconductor contacts [24], e.g. for CuFeS 2
and PbS. The current through a metal–semiconductor contact is nonlinear (as compared to that through
a metal, Fig. 1.1), i.e. a deviation from Ohm’s law. Braun’s structure is similar to a MSM diode.
1876
W.G. Adams and R.E. Day—discovery of the photovoltaic effect in selenium [25].
W. Siemens—large response from selenium photoconductor [26], made by winding two thin platinum
wires to the surface of a sheet of mica, and then covering the surface with a thin film of molten selenium.
Resistance ratio between dark and illuminated by sunlight was larger than ten [26] and measured to
14.8 in [27].
1879
E.H. Hall—measurement of the transverse potential difference in a thin gold leaf on glass [28, 29].
Experiments were continued by his mentor H.A. Rowland [30]. A detailed account of the discovery of
the Hall efect is given in [31, 32].
1 This is Edmond Becquerel; his son Henri Becquerel received the Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of radioactivity.
2 F. Braun made his discoveries on metal–semiconductor contacts in Leipzig while a teacher at the Thomasschule zu
Leipzig [23]. He conducted his famous work on vacuum tubes later as a professor in Strasbourg, France.