What is a Semiconductor Device?
The semiconductor device is a type of electronic circuit that is neither a good conductor nor an excellent insulator. The advantages of these devices include their low cost, their reliability, and their compactness. It has become extremely popular in recent decades to use these devices in the manufacture of various electronics. Electricity can flow freely through most metals since they act as good conductors. Materials widely used in electronics include copper and aluminum. Similar to glass, wood, and plastic, electrical current is prevented by these insulating materials. The properties of semiconductors are a fusion of conductivity and insulation. Their electrical conductivity is lower at room temperature than that of conductors. Nevertheless, semiconductor devices are highly conductible at this point when compared to insulators.
Semiconductor Devices: Holes and Electrons
Electronic charge is carried by electrons and holes in semiconductors. Positively charged particles are carried by holes, while negatively charged particles are carried by electrons. Both holes and electrons have the same magnitude. Although they have different polarities, they possess the same magnitude.
Properties of Semiconductors
Under ideal conditions or circumstances, semiconductor devices are able to conduct electricity. However, there are a number of other attributes to consider.
An increase in temperature (applying heat) results in an increase in the conductivity of the semiconductor.
Electrons and holes flow along the semiconductor.
This results in reduced power loss.
Performing doping increases the efficiency of semiconductor devices.
As the temperature rises, resistance decreases.
Semiconductor Device Types
Three-terminal devices and two-terminal devices are the two broad categories of semiconductors. These two categories are distinguished in terms of their physics.
1. Two-terminal Semiconductors – It is a semiconductor material that only contains one positive-negative (p-n) junction.
2. Three-terminal Semiconductors – Positive-negative-positive (P-N-P) junctions are found in these semiconductor materials.
What are Diodes?
It consists of a single p-n junction and is a semiconductor device. In most cases, p-n junctions are formed when p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are combined. The electrons diffuse from the n-type region to the p-type region because the n-type region has more electron concentrations whereas the p-type region has more hole concentrations. As a result, light is generated by this phenomenon.
What are Transistors?
Bipolar junction transistors and field-effect transistors are two types of transistors. Bipolar junction transistors are created by forming two p-n junctions in different configurations, such as n-p-n or p-n-p. Three regions are formed in the transistor and are referred to as the emitter, collector, and base, or middle region.
An electric field can alter the conductivity of the field-effect transistor, which is based on the principle of conductivity.
Examples of Semiconductor Devices
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of These is an Example of Conductors?
Wood
Copper
Glass
Plastic
Ans. (b) Copper
FAQs on Semiconductor Devices
1. How Does Increase in Temperature Affect Electrical Conductivity for a Semiconductor Device?
Applying heat to a semiconductor leads to an increase in current flow through a semiconductor material. Thus, for semiconductors, temperature is directly proportional to conductivity.
2. What are the Two Types of Semiconductor Devices?
One can divide semiconductor devices into two-terminal and three-terminal semiconductors. A diode is an example of a two-terminal semiconductor, while transistors are three-terminal variants.
3. What is a Common Application of Semiconductor Materials?
Semiconductor materials are commonly used to create microprocessors. Additionally, these materials are also suitable for high-voltage appliances.
4. How are Semiconductor Devices used?
Digital circuits and logic gates are designed with them.
They are used in microprocessors.
In analog circuits, they also play a role in oscillators and amplifiers.
They are used in high voltage applications.
5. What are Some Examples of Semiconductor Devices?
It is said that these devices do neither well as insulators nor well as conductors, hence the term "semi-conductors". Some examples of semiconductors are as follows:
Operating-amplifiers
Resistors
Capacitors
Diodes
Transistors
Because of their reliability, compactness, and low cost, these devices are widely used in many applications.
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7. What are Semiconductors made of?
A semiconductor or integrated circuit (commonly known as an integrated circuit or chip) is typically produced through hundreds of steps, during which hundreds of copies of an integrated circuit are created on a single wafer. A typical integrated circuit is composed of between 8 and 20 patterned layers on (and into) the wafer, ultimately resulting in the complete circuit. During this layering operation, a semiconductor wafer's surface is formed with electrically active (connected) regions.
8. What are Common Semiconductor Products?
In everyday life, semiconductors are used in many digital consumer products such as mobile phones/smartphones, digital cameras, televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, and LED bulbs.