This book is an overview of the current status of science and technology
associated with the development of semiconductor opto-electronic devices for the
mid–infrared spectral range. The book is divided into four sections and although
each of the chapters are individually self-contained we begin with a consideration of
some fundamental physics which is more generally relevant to the narrow-gap III-V
materials. In particular, the reader is given an overview of the main problems facing
the design engineer in these materials and some of the possible solutions based on
strained layer engineering (primarily in lasers) are considered and compared. The
book is focused exclusively on semiconductor optoelectronic devices and so lasers,
light-emitting diodes, photodetectors and thermo-photovoltaic cells are discussed
but optical parametric oscillators, fibre and crystal lasers are not considered here.