Laddbärare

Laddbärare is a Swedish term that translates to "charge carrier" in English. In physics and electrical engineering, a charge carrier is a particle with an electric charge that is free to move within a material. These mobile charges are responsible for the flow of electric current.

The most common types of charge carriers are electrons and holes. In conductors, such as metals, electrons are the primary charge carriers. These electrons are loosely bound to their atoms and can move freely throughout the material when an electric field is applied. In semiconductors, both electrons and holes can act as charge carriers. Holes are essentially the absence of an electron in the atomic structure of the semiconductor, and their movement can be thought of as the movement of a positive charge.

The concept of charge carriers is fundamental to understanding electrical conductivity, semiconductor devices like transistors and diodes, and electrochemical processes. The density, mobility, and type of charge carriers in a material determine its electrical properties. For example, materials with a high density of mobile charge carriers are good conductors, while materials with few or no mobile charge carriers are insulators. The study of charge carriers is crucial for the development and understanding of virtually all electronic technologies.