Semiconductor

Semiconductor A material with electrical conductivity of less than a conductor and more than an insulator. A pure semiconductor tends to be like an insulator with zero electrical conductivity, but once light, heat, or impurities are applied, electricity flows through, like a conductor. A conductor refers to “a material through which electrical charge can flow”, like iron, copper, gold, silver, and aluminum. An insulator is “a material without electrical conductivity” like glass, plastic, rubber, and diamond. A semiconductor allows electrical flow like a conductor when certain impurities are applied. What makes a semiconductor different from a conductor is that the conductivity level can be controlled in a semiconductor.

“Semiconductor” is a category to describe the physical properties of a material. But normally speaking, terms like “semiconductor industry” and “semiconductor technology” refer to the integrated circuit (IC) technology. ※ Integrated Circuit (IC): Microminiaturization and high integration of diode, transistor, capacitor, resistance, etc. and powered by voltage. ※ Energy bands of insulators, semiconductors, and conductors