Electrical Engineering › Section A · Introduction, current, and voltage › Topic A.4
Semiconductors
Between conductors and insulators sits a small family of materials whose conductivity can be changed by heat, by light and, above all, by adding tiny traces of other elements. That controllability makes semiconductors the foundation of every diode, transistor and chip.
In this topic
- Neither conductor nor insulator
- The semiconductor materials
- Few free carriers in a pure crystal
- Worked example: comparing free electrons
- Heat raises conductivity
- Worked example: a warming sensor
- Light raises conductivity too
- Purity and doping
- Worked example: the power of doping
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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