Instructions on how to build electronic devices

Question

I have got plenty of books in the theory of electronic devices, but I wish to build these transistors (BJT, MOSFETS, etc) and diodes by myself.

Which books are there in offer to learn how to do this?

A MOOC course, not book. https://www.coursera.org/course/mosfet Not answered all you need, but, a place to start. You may or may not be able to register on closed course. Taken from course description, The MOS transistor (MOSFET) is the workhorse of the microelectronic revolution. It is estimated that there are currently over 1 billion transistors per human being in the world. Part of the MOS transistor's success lies in its very small size (you can fit 1,000 of them within the width of a human hair!), part lies on some amazing things this device can do. — EEd, Aug 22 '14 at 06:37
Start [here on Hackaday](http://hackaday.com/2010/05/13/transistor-fabrication-so-simple-a-child-can-do-it/) and then watch all of Jeri Ellsworth's other videos. — David, Aug 22 '14 at 07:08
It's a pity no one can be helpful here. I am sure there are strict written guidelines of how to accomplish this task. I am an autodidact and can learn how to do it by myself with the aid of books. — MathematicalPhysicist, Aug 22 '14 at 07:47
@MathematicalPhysicist even for simple things like making bread in your kitchen, 'strict written guidelines' don't suffice - you might get a recipe, but you'll still have to learn how to follow it, and take into account variations in ovens and ingredients and ambient conditions. Why would you assume that baking semiconductors is easier? — Pete Kirkham, Aug 22 '14 at 08:49
Being autodidactic, then, you should be looking for books which will help you learn how to find the books you want. ;) — EM Fields, Aug 22 '14 at 15:50

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 22 '14 at 07:52

Assuming from you username that you want to do this to learn about the properties of these devices rather than having some notion of it being in some way practical to construct these devices at home rather than buy them.

This is a bit like saying you want to forge your own girders in order to understand how skyscrapers work, sure you can make something at home with a lot of time & effort, but it will be a long way off what can be achieved by a multi-million pound/dollar factory with multi-million pound/dollar high-tech machinery that is simply not possible to replicate on a smaller scale.

The construction and methods of manufacturing diodes, transistors, FETs are widely described, starting with their respective Wikipedia entries, and I'm not going to do your googling for you. Certainly people made the first / very early diodes and transistors from lumps of stuff in ways that are easily replicated.

gbulmer · Answer 2 · 2014-08-22T10:18:53.730

I am assuming you want to use those devices, and not make them. The later would be interesting, but it would be useful to understand how to test their properties in circuits too. I believe the inventors of the transistor spent a lot of effort to prove it amplified.

I apologise if I am way off target.

When I was a kid, I read lots of practical magazines about electronics. They were stuffed full of tips, around a specific project. By being focused on a specific use-case/project, their advice was relevant and pertinent.

In my youth electronics books by Bernard Babani were useful. I believe the modern equivalent Forrest Mims

I am a visiting lecturer at a University. Practical electronics techniques is covered in labs.

I would recommend a practical path.

Books have been to some extent replaced by the web. I recommend sites like:
http://dangerousprototypes.com/
https://learn.adafruit.com/
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials
http://www.instructables.com/

and of course, YouTube, though the quality has a very wide range, with lots of noise.

I like Bruce Land's ECE4760 videos and course web site. The videos are mostly theory, but he occasionally makes some very important points about labs. The web site has some practical advice too.

Search for on-line projects which feature the electronic concepts you are interested in. I would suggest MOOC courses may be useful to watch.

At some fundamental level, electronics is a pretty good low-cost engineering area to get started, but can be hard and expensive to become good.

Parts are relatively cheap, so a disaster will only cost a few pounds/euros/dollars. An early purchase should be a multi-meter. Something useful can be had for under £10. An oscilloscope can quickly become essential. I got a second hand 'CRT' scope for £10 some years ago. I have helped a boy progress his electronics by getting him an ld oscilloscope, and he reports that some stuff is impossible to debug without it.

I am with EM Fields; alone is much harder and slower. It is not that you need the advice of someone more expert. For me, the common obstacle is not ignorance, it is assumptions. I find the act of explaining it to someone who who can listen, is interested in the subject and ask intelligent questions helps enormously. The type of person has a scientific, rational background, and who jumps on 'assume'.

I'd recommend looking in your locale for a Electronics clubs, MakerSpace. Maybe even try to teach some smart kids who'd like to learn.

Élie · Answer 3 · 2014-08-22T11:37:11.207

There are lots of books available regarding semiconductor fabrication, although I wouldn't expect any of them would be presented in a 'diy homemade semiconductor' context. I found the 2 below by searching the booklist from relevant courses at my university, and simply googling. I would post more but lack the reputation prevents me from posting more than 2 links.

I'm sure it would be possible to draw knowledge from these and derive processes yourself to produce simple semiconductors at home; but I anticipate you will need to get creative.

Microchip Fabrication: A Practical Guide to Semiconductor Processing

Fundamentals of Semiconductor Fabrication.

Instructions on how to build electronic devices

3 Answers3