Know more about Semiconductors

Aug 9
08:53

2016

Glenda Beasley

Glenda Beasley

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Silicon wafers are the very heart and soul of semiconductor manufacturing. You must select the suitable silicon wafer supplier for best quality wafers.

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Substances which have properties in between conductor and insulator are known as semiconductors. These materials conduct electricity in a controlled environment,Know more about Semiconductors Articles which makes them a good medium to conduct electricity in a controlled manner as and where required.

Semiconductor Materials

There are several materials and elements used to make a semiconductor. The basic requirement of a semiconductor material is, it should not be a very good conductor of electricity, nor should it be a very bad conductor of electricity.

Its properties can be changed by adding or removing atoms / impurities. Semiconductor materials include: antimony

  • Arsenic
  • Boron
  • Carbon
  • Germanium
  • Gallium arsenide
  • Selenium
  • Silicon
  • Silicon carbide
  • Sulfur
  • Tellurium

Silicon is the most widely used semiconductor material

The Factors on which conductance of semiconductors depends:

The conductance of a semiconductor depends on two factors:

  1. Current or voltage applied to a control electrode
  2. Intensity of irradiation of infrared, ultraviolet, X rays or visible light.

Depending upon these factors we can say that semiconductors has electrical conductivity greater than an insulator but less than a conductor. Semiconductors have a dual property of both conductor and insulator of electricity. This property of a semiconductor depends on the type of impurities added.

Semiconductor in their pure form is intrinsic semiconductor. The electrical behavior of these semiconductors can be modified by adding impurities. The impurities added to the semiconductor material to change its electrical property are called Dopants. The process of adding impurities to the pure semiconductor material is called doping. This technique has extensive utilization to make circuit elements with varying resistances, voltage threshold behaviors.  A good Silicon Wafer Supplier should be able to provide customized semiconductors to meet your requirements. 

Types of Semiconductors

  • The N-type semiconductor is one that carries current in the form of negatively-charged electrons. This is very similar to conduction of current in a wire.
  • The P-type semiconductor is one that carries current predominantly as electron deficiencies called holes. A hole has a positive electric charge. This charge is equal and opposite to the charge on an electron. These holes flow in the opposite direction of electrons.

Semiconductor Manufacturing

Manufacturing semiconductors need expertise and experience. An experienced and reliable silicon wafer supplier provides semiconductor materials with the highest quality material at the most affordable price.  Chemicals to be used need to be pure and free from any impurity. The process of adding controlled impurities to a semiconductor is known as doping.

Take a look at the steps involved in manufacturing semiconductors:

  1. Design / Mask Creation
  2. Patterning
  3. Wafer Fabrication
  4. Device Formation / Device Insulation Layer Formation
  5. Device Formation / Transistor Formation
  6. Metallization
  7. Assembly and Testing

Function of a Semiconductor

The main job of semiconductors is to help the flow of electricity. The basic function of a semiconductor device is in the form of switch ON and OFF when required. A single integrated circuit (IC), such as a microprocessor chip, may have a multiple switches.