Semiconductors Wiki

Definition

A semiconductor is a material whose electrical conductivity lies between that of a conductor and an insulator. Semiconductors are fundamental to modern electronics and enable devices such as transistors, diodes, sensors, and integrated circuits (ICs). Their conductivity can be precisely controlled, making them ideal for signal amplification, switching, and energy conversion.

Key Properties

Tunable Conductivity via doping (adding impurities).
Band Gap Control: Enables on/off switching in devices.
Carrier Mobility: Influences performance and speed.
Sensitivity to Light & Heat: Used in optoelectronics and sensors.

Core Materials

Material	Type	Notes
Silicon (Si)	Intrinsic	Most widely used; cost-effective
Germanium (Ge)	Intrinsic	Used in early transistors
Gallium Arsenide (GaAs)	Compound	High electron mobility for RF applications
Silicon Carbide (SiC)	Wide-bandgap	High-voltage, high-temperature electronics
Gallium Nitride (GaN)	Wide-bandgap	Used in power electronics and RF

Semiconductor Devices

Transistors: Core switch/amplifier; used in digital logic
Diodes: Allow one-way current flow (rectifiers, LEDs)
Photonic Devices: Photodiodes, laser diodes, solar cells
Integrated Circuits (ICs): Contain millions to billions of transistors

Applications

Computing & AI: CPUs, GPUs, NPUs, SoCs
Communications: 5G, Wi-Fi, fiber optics
Automotive: ADAS, EV inverters, sensors
Healthcare: Imaging devices, wearables
Industrial IoT: Automation, robotics
Energy: Smart grids, renewables, power conversion

Notable Quotes about Semiconductors

“Semiconductors are the steel of the modern age.”
— Morris Chang, Founder of TSMC

“The future is going to be built with silicon.”
— Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA

“Integrated circuits will lead to such wonders as home computers… and personal portable communications equipment.”
— Gordon Moore, Intel co-founder (1965)

“The chip business is not for the faint of heart. It is capital-intensive, risky, and brutally competitive.”
— Andy Grove, former CEO of Intel

“Without semiconductors, you don’t have computing, you don’t have networking, and you don’t have AI.”
— Lisa Su, CEO of AMD

“We bet the company on silicon. We were either going to fail completely or change the world.”
— Robert Noyce, co-inventor of the integrated circuit and Intel co-founder

“Today’s wars are not fought with bullets, but with silicon and bandwidth.”
— Anonymous military strategist

“Every aspect of our lives—transportation, communication, health—depends on semiconductors.”
— Dr. Anirudh Devgan, CEO of Cadence Design Systems