ABSTRACT
Quantum theory, however taught, is always a shock to the system for a new student . This is unfortunate because a lot of 'forefront-of-technology' calculations are possible with only a rudimentary knowledge of quantum mechanics . If you can, I strongly advise you to do the following. Do not try to understand the mechanics of the theory at this stage. Use the mathematics that are presented in this chapter in order to understand the new 'low-dimensional devices' (LDDs) only. Virtually all the new quantum devices and quantum effects in semiconductor physics can be understood if you are well versed in just one quantum mechanical solution. The particular solution we are going to study is called 'the particle-in-a box'. This may not sound very glamorous but the theory is easily understood and the applications are far reaching. For this reason, the way I am going to introduce the quantum theory is biased with just one aim in mind, to understand the physics and applications of the particle-in-a-box.
