Semiconductor
material · 1874 · Electric age
A material whose conductivity can be controlled; the basis of the transistor.
Principles and materials it uses
- Band theory — uses. Band theory explains the properties of semiconductors.
Where it is used
- Transistor — is material for. A transistor works thanks to the properties of a semiconductor.
- Photovoltaic effect — is used in. A p–n junction separates the charges.
- Rectifier — is used in. Modern rectifiers are semiconductor diodes.
- P–n junction — is used in. A junction between p- and n-type semiconductors.
- Semiconductor doping — is used in. A semiconductor is doped.
- Photoresistor — is material for. Selenium and cadmium sulfide are semiconductors.
- Hall sensor — is material for. The sensor is a semiconductor plate.
- Diode — is material for. Later — a semiconductor.
- Crystal radio — is material for. The detector is a galena crystal.
- Thermistor — is material for. A thermistor is an oxide semiconductor.
- Varistor — is material for. A varistor is zinc oxide or silicon carbide.
- Exposure meter — is material for. The sensor is a selenium photocell.
- Photocopier — is material for. The photoreceptor drum is a semiconductor (amorphous selenium).
- Laser — is material for. Maiman’s first laser was a ruby crystal; today it is more often a semiconductor.
- Radioisotope generator — is material for. The thermoelements are a semiconductor (lead telluride).
- LED — is material for. An LED is a semiconductor.
- Pixel matrix (OLED) — is material for. Organic semiconductors.
- Smartphone — is material for. The processor, memory and camera of a smartphone are made of a semiconductor — silicon.
What it is a kind of
- Silicon — includes. Silicon is the main semiconductor material.
- Germanium — includes. A semiconductor.
- Gallium nitride — includes. A semiconductor.
- Gallium arsenide — includes. A semiconductor.
- Quantum dots — includes. Quantum dots are tiny semiconductor crystals that glow in pure colours.