Semiconductors

Semiconductors

1. What are they ?

   • They are elements that behave like a conductor or as an insulator depending of various factors

2. Types

   • Intrinsic
     • It is a crystal of silicon or germanium that forms a tetrahedral structure similar to that of carbon by means of covalent bonds between its atoms.
   • Extrinsic
     • To improve the properties of semiconductors, they are subjected to a doping process (called doping), consisting of introducing atoms of other elements in order to increase their conductivity. The semiconductor obtained will be called extrinsic semiconductor
   • Type P
     • It is the one that is contaminated with "Acceptor" impurities, which are trivalent impurities. As the number of holes exceeds the number of free electrons, the holes are the majority carriers and the free electrons are the minority.
   • Type N
     • It is the one that is impurified with "Donor" impurities, which are pentavalent impurities. Since electrons outnumber holes in an n-type semiconductor, they are called "majority carriers", while holes are called "minority carriers."

3. Materials

   • Group III-V
   • Group IV-VI
   • Group II-IV
   • Group I-VII
   • Group IV
   • Group V-VI
   • Group II-V