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Semiconductor Room What are semiconductors? Semiconductor manufacture |
The name “semiconductor” is widely known, but what are semiconductors?
Semiconductors possess specific electrical properties. A substance that conducts electricity is called a conductor, and a substance that does not conduct electricity is called an insulator. Semiconductors are substances with properties somewhere between them. Electrical properties can be indicated by resistivity. Conductors such as gold, silver and copper have low resistance and conduct electricity easily. Insulators such as rubber, glass and ceramics have high resistance and are difficult for electricity to pass through. Semiconductors have properties somewhere between these two. Their resistivity might change according to the temperature for example. At a low temperature, almost no electricity passes through them. But when the temperature rises, electricity passes through them easily.
Semiconductors containing almost no impurities conduct almost no electricity. But when some elements are added to the semiconductors, electricity passes through them easily.
Semiconductors comprising a single element are called elemental semiconductors, including the famous semiconductor material Silicon. On the other hand, semiconductors made up of two or more compounds are called compound semiconductors, and are used in semiconductor lasers, light-emitting diodes, etc.
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