A new book brings the science home
This blog post builds on Ted Johansson’s review of Halvledaråldern, adding reflections on why the book matters both in Sweden and internationally – read the book review in Swedish in ElektronikTidningen.
Semiconductors became a household word during the pandemic when supply chain disruptions made global headlines. But while most of us now know they are “essential for building cars and electronics,” it remains hard to explain what semiconductors actually are – and why we’ve become so dependent on them.
This is where a new Swedish book steps in. Halvledaråldern – kemin bakom dagens teknik by Professor Henrik Pedersen, published in May 2025, offers a popular science introduction in Swedish to the chemistry behind the technology shaping our everyday lives.
Why this book matters
For students, engineers, and the curious public in Sweden, having an accessible, well-written book in Swedish is a welcome complement to international works like Chris Miller’s Chip War (which in2024 became available in a Swedish translation). While Miller provides a geopolitical and economic history of the semiconductor industry, Halvledaråldern brings focus back to the science and the material foundations of chips. It’s worth noting that no such book has existed in Swedish before.
According to reviewer Ted Johansson, the book is at times packing in too much detail – but its has clear strengths in explaining the following:
- The chemistry and materials that make semiconductors unique.
- How chips are manufactured, from wafers and doping to cleanrooms and advanced lithography.
- Sustainability aspects in semiconductor production.
- An overview of research frontiers – from neuromorphic chips and 3D integration to quantum computing.
A contribution to Swedish knowledge-sharing
Halvledaråldern doesn’t replace technical handbooks or geopolitical analyses, but it fills an important gap: giving Swedish readers a scientifically sound, engaging introduction to the semiconductor age — in their own language. For Semicon Sweden, this book represents more than just a publication. It is part of a growing ecosystem of knowledge-sharing, helping Sweden strengthen its role in the global semiconductor conversation.