Book excerpt: The Guide to Semiconductor Engineering is concerned with semiconductor materials, devices and process technologies which in combination constitute an enabling force behind the growth of our technical civilization. This book was conceived and written keeping in mind those who need to learn about semiconductors, who are professionally associated with select aspects of this technical domain and want to see it in a broader context, or for those who are simply interested in state-of-the-art semiconductor engineering. In its coverage of semiconductor properties, materials, devices, manufacturing technology, and characterization methods, this Guide departs from textbook-style, monothematic in-depth discussions of each topic. Instead, it considers the entire broad field of semiconductor technology and identifies synergistic interactions within various areas in one concise volume. It is a holistic approach to the coverage of semiconductor engineering which distinguishes this Guide among other books concerned with semiconductors related issues.