Definitions for Semiconductor
ˈsɛm i kənˌdʌk tər, ˈsɛm aɪ-semi·con·duc·tor

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:4.7 / 3 votes

1. semiconductor, semiconducting materialnoun

   a substance as germanium or silicon whose electrical conductivity is intermediate between that of a metal and an insulator; its conductivity increases with temperature and in the presence of impurities

2. semiconductor device, semiconductor unit, semiconductornoun

   a conductor made with semiconducting material

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. semiconductornoun

   A substance with electrical properties intermediate between a good conductor and a good insulator.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Semiconductor

   A semiconductor is a material which has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor, such as copper, and an insulator, such as glass. Its resistivity falls as its temperature rises; metals behave in the opposite way. Its conducting properties may be altered in useful ways by introducing impurities ("doping") into the crystal structure. When two differently doped regions exist in the same crystal, a semiconductor junction is created. The behavior of charge carriers, which include electrons, ions, and electron holes, at these junctions is the basis of diodes, transistors, and most modern electronics. Some examples of semiconductors are silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, and elements near the so-called "metalloid staircase" on the periodic table. After silicon, gallium arsenide is the second-most common semiconductor and is used in laser diodes, solar cells, microwave-frequency integrated circuits, and others. Silicon is a critical element for fabricating most electronic circuits. Semiconductor devices can display a range of useful properties, such as passing current more easily in one direction than the other, showing variable resistance, and having sensitivity to light or heat. Because the electrical properties of a semiconductor material can be modified by doping and by the application of electrical fields or light, devices made from semiconductors can be used for amplification, switching, and energy conversion. The conductivity of silicon is increased by adding a small amount (of the order of 1 in 108) of pentavalent (antimony, phosphorus, or arsenic) or trivalent (boron, gallium, indium) atoms. This process is known as doping, and the resulting semiconductors are known as doped or extrinsic semiconductors. Apart from doping, the conductivity of a semiconductor can be improved by increasing its temperature. This is contrary to the behavior of a metal, in which conductivity decreases with an increase in temperature. The modern understanding of the properties of a semiconductor relies on quantum physics to explain the movement of charge carriers in a crystal lattice. Doping greatly increases the number of charge carriers within the crystal. When a doped semiconductor contains free holes, it is called "p-type", and when it contains free electrons, it is known as "n-type". The semiconductor materials used in electronic devices are doped under precise conditions to control the concentration and regions of p- and n-type dopants. A single semiconductor device crystal can have many p- and n-type regions; the p–n junctions between these regions are responsible for the useful electronic behavior. Using a hot-point probe, one can determine quickly whether a semiconductor sample is p- or n-type.Some of the properties of semiconductor materials were observed throughout the mid-19th and first decades of the 20th century. The first practical application of semiconductors in electronics was the 1904 development of the cat's-whisker detector, a primitive semiconductor diode used in early radio receivers. Developments in quantum physics led in turn to the invention of the transistor in 1947 and the integrated circuit in 1958.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. semiconductor

   A semiconductor is a type of solid material whose electrical conductivity lies between that of a conductor and an insulator. Its conductive properties can be altered by introducing impurities or by exposure to heat, light, electric or magnetic fields. Semiconductors are fundamental to modern electronics and digital technologies, including transistors, solar cells, and microchips. Common examples include silicon and germanium.

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Semiconductor

   A semiconductor is a material which has electrical conductivity between that of a conductor such as copper and that of an insulator such as glass. Semiconductors are the foundation of modern electronics, including transistors, solar cells, light-emitting diodes, quantum dots and digital and analog integrated circuits. The modern understanding of the properties of a semiconductor relies on quantum physics to explain the movement of electrons inside a lattice of atoms. The increasing understanding of semiconductor materials and fabrication processes has made possible continuing increases in the complexity and speed of semiconductor devices, an effect known as Moore's Law. The conductivity of a semiconductor material increases with increasing temperature, behaviour opposite to that of a metal. Semiconductors can display a range of useful properties such as passing current more easily in one direction than the other, variable resistance, and sensitivity to light or heat. Because the conductive properties of a semiconductor material can be modified by controlled addition of impurities or by the application of electrical fields or light, devices made with semiconductors are very useful for amplification of signals, switching, and energy conversion.

Editors ContributionRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. semiconductor

   Is a type of material that can conduct electricity.

   Semiconductors are used in a wide variety of electronic equipment and integrated circuits.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on May 23, 2016  

Matched Categories

1. • Conductor

How to pronounce Semiconductor?

1. Alex

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How to say Semiconductor in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Semiconductor in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Semiconductor in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of Semiconductor in a Sentence

1. Gina Raimondo:

   Our challenge is to show leadership and not get tied up in any one particular red-line and miss the forest for the trees, which is : We have a semiconductor crisis, it's a national security crisis. It's an economic security crisis. And so, we just have to try to keep folks really focused on that.

2. Dan Ikenson:

   The Chinese are heavily dependent on us for semiconductor tech and the tech for military operations, china has decided they have to steal the technology, coerce it and condition trade with us on obtaining our technology.

3. Ryosuke Katagi:

   While carmakers are planning ‘revenge production’ in November and December, clouds still loom - semiconductor shortages will last until year-end at least, and no one knows if carmakers’ plans to avert the impact of chip shortages by adjusting their supply chains would succeed, dragged down by staple cars, sluggish export growth will last for the rest of 2021.

4. Xu Jinghong:

   It would be of great significance to China's domestic semiconductor industry, we hope the deal can eventually come through.

5. The FTC:

   Semiconductor chips power the computers and technologies that are essential to our modern economy and society.

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References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=Semiconductor
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Semiconductor
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=Semiconductor