Most microelectronics active devices are made of semiconductors which are groups of materials with electrical conductivities between metals and insulators. Conductivity can be varied by impurity concentration, temperature and optical excitation. Good candidates as electronics devices (transistors, diodes, LEDs, ICs, lasers, high speed devices etc). Basic building blocks in IPhone, IPad, computers, sound systems, medical electronics, aerospace controls etc etc)
Common semiconductors (SC)
- SCs are periodic arrays of atoms
- Transport of charge through the SC depends on the arrangement of atoms in the solid.
Elemental SCCompound SC
- Si, Ge(Group IV)
- Binary III-V: GaAs, InP, GaN,
- Binary II-VI: ZnO, CdS,
- Ternary alloy: AlxGa1-xAs