Pooljuhtivad

Pooljuhtivad refers to materials that have electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator. This intermediate conductivity makes them essential components in modern electronics. The conductivity of semiconductors can be manipulated through various means, including temperature changes and the introduction of impurities, a process known as doping.

Commonly used semiconductor materials include silicon and germanium. Silicon, in particular, is the backbone of the semiconductor industry due to its abundance and stable electrical properties. By adding specific impurity atoms to pure silicon, its conductivity can be significantly altered, creating either p-type (with an excess of "holes" or positive charge carriers) or n-type (with an excess of electrons or negative charge carriers) semiconductors.

The combination of p-type and n-type semiconductor materials forms the basis of essential electronic devices such as diodes, transistors, and integrated circuits. Diodes allow current to flow in one direction, while transistors act as electronic switches or amplifiers, controlling the flow of current. Integrated circuits, or chips, contain millions or billions of these components on a single piece of semiconductor material, enabling complex computations and functionalities. The study and application of pooljuhtivad materials are central to the field of solid-state physics and electrical engineering.