Semiconductor facts for kids
A semiconductor is a special kind of material that can sometimes let electricity flow through it, and sometimes not. Think of it like a switch!
Regular electrical conductors, such as copper or silver, are great at letting electricity pass through easily. On the other hand, insulators like rubber or plastic block electricity completely. They are often used to keep us safe from electric shock.
Semiconductors are in between. They don't conduct as well as a conductor, but they're not insulators either. This unique ability makes them super important. They are the basic building blocks of almost all modern electronics!
By adding tiny amounts of other atoms to a semiconductor material, we can change how well it conducts electricity. This process helps create different types, like n-type and p-type semiconductors. Silicon is the most common semiconductor used today, but many others exist. These materials can be made into tiny electronic switches called transistors. You'll find transistors in computers, mobile phones, digital music players, and many other devices.
Contents
The Story of Semiconductors
Scientists started studying semiconductors a long time ago, back in the 1830s. In 1833, a scientist named Michael Faraday was experimenting with a material called silver sulfide. He made an interesting discovery: when he heated the silver sulfide, it became better at conducting electricity! This was surprising because most metals, like copper, conduct less electricity when they get hot.
Over the years, other scientists learned more about these unique materials. Then, in 1947, something big happened at Bell Labs in New Jersey. Scientists there invented the transistor. This invention changed the world! Transistors led to the creation of integrated circuits, which are tiny electronic brains that power almost every electronic device we use today.
What is Doping?
Doping is a special process where a very small amount of an impurity (a different atom) is added to a pure semiconductor. This changes how the semiconductor behaves electrically.
When a semiconductor has just a little bit of impurity added, it's called an extrinsic semiconductor. If too much impurity is added, it can start acting more like a conductor than a semiconductor; this is called degenerate doping.
Most semiconductors are made from silicon crystals. Pure silicon isn't very useful on its own. But when it's "doped," it becomes the foundation for most semiconductors. The famous Silicon Valley in California got its name because so many companies making semiconductors started there!
Semiconductors Today
Today, semiconductors are everywhere! You can find them in almost every electronic device you use. Things like desktop computers, the Internet, tablet devices, and smartphones wouldn't exist without semiconductors.
Semiconductors can be made into very precise switches that need only a small amount of electricity to turn on or off. Any extra electricity can then be sent to other parts of the device. Also, semiconductors can be made incredibly tiny. This means many of them can fit into a small space, allowing electronic devices to be thin and lightweight without losing their power.
Some of the biggest companies that make semiconductors include Intel Corporation, Samsung Electronics, TSMC, Qualcomm, and Micron Technology.
Related pages
Images for kids
-
An ingot of monocrystalline silicon
-
Karl Ferdinand Braun developed the crystal detector, the first semiconductor device, in 1874.
-
John Bardeen, William Shockley and Walter Brattain developed the bipolar point-contact transistor in 1947.
See also
In Spanish: Semiconductor para niños
