Semiconductor

A material whose electrical conductivity lies between that of conductors and insulators and can be controlled by composition, structure, temperature, light, or applied fields.

Energy band: A range of allowed electron energies in a solid, separated from other ranges by forbidden gaps. The valence and conduction bands determine which charge carriers a semiconductor can support.
Crystal structure: The ordered arrangement of atoms in a crystalline solid. Atomic order shapes the electronic bands that govern semiconductor behavior.
Integrated circuit: An electronic circuit whose components are fabricated together on a single semiconductor substrate. Integrated circuits combine vast numbers of semiconductor devices on one chip.
Electrical conductor: A material that allows electric charge to flow readily because mobile carriers are abundant. Conductors contrast with semiconductors, whose carrier populations can be deliberately controlled.
Doping (semiconductor): The intentional addition of impurity atoms to a semiconductor to change its charge-carrier concentration. Dopants tune conductivity by supplying electrons or creating holes.
Silicon: A chemical element and crystalline solid widely used as the foundation of integrated circuits. Its stable oxide and mature processing make silicon the dominant device material.
Light-emitting diode: A semiconductor device that emits light when electrical current passes through a forward-biased junction. Electron-hole recombination in semiconductor junctions produces its light.
Electrical insulator: A material that strongly resists electric current because it has few mobile charge carriers. Insulators mark the low-conductivity extreme relative to semiconductors.
Electron hole: A mobile vacancy in a semiconductor’s valence band that behaves as a positively charged carrier. Holes carry current alongside electrons, especially in p-type material.
Gallium arsenide: A compound semiconductor made from gallium and arsenic, with a direct band gap and high electron mobility. It offers faster transport and efficient light emission compared with silicon.

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