Semiconductors basics

what semiconductors are and the way in which current is able to flow in them

Semiconductors and semiconductor technology forms the basis of most of the electronics industry these days. Transistors, diodes, integrated circuits and many more devices all have semiconductor technology in common. As a result of the enormous degree of flexibility that semiconductor technology provides, it has enabled electronics to take over many areas of daily life, that fifty years ago could not have been conceived.

The first step in looking at semiconductor technology is to see what types of material there are in terms of their electrical properties. Basically there are three types:

• Conductors
  
  
• Non-conductors
  
  
• Semiconductors
  

In order to understand what semiconductors are and why they are a distinct group on their own, it is necessary to look first at why some materials conduct electricity (conductors) and why others do not (non-conductors).