Semiconductor Devices – Properties, Types, Examples & Applications

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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.

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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.

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Examples of Semiconductor Devices

Examples of Two-terminal Semiconductor

Examples of Three-terminal Semiconductor

DIAC

TRIAC

PIN Diode

Field Effect Transistor

Tunnel Diode

Darlington Transistor

Laser Diode

Thyristor

Schottky Diode

Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR)

Zener Diode

Unijunction Transistor

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of These is an Example of Conductors?

  1. Wood

  2. Copper

  3. Glass

  4. Plastic

Ans. (b) Copper

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Source: Math Hello Kitty
Categories: Physics