semiconductor

Introduction
Semiconductor materials
Electronic properties
The p-n junction

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

A color-coded periodic table of the elements displays each element's symbol and atomic number, with categories such as alkali metals, noble gases, halogens, transition metals, and actinoid elements distinguished by different background colors.

Diagram of a germanium crystal lattice showing how the absence of an electron, called a hole, moves through the structure as electrons jump between atoms, with arrows and labels explaining each step.

Learn about the mining and purification of silicon

At a Glance

semiconductor summary

Quizzes

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Building Blocks of Everyday Objects

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Electricity: Short Circuits & Direct Currents

Related Questions

How are intrinsic semiconductors different from extrinsic semiconductors?
How are semiconductor devices used in computer chips, optical sensors, and light-emitting diodes?
How can light change the electrical conductivity of a semiconductor?
How do electrons and holes move through a semiconductor when an electric field is applied?
How do magnetic fields affect the conductivity of some semiconductors?
How do majority carriers differ from minority carriers in a p-n junction?
How do p-n junctions make diodes possible?
How do p-n junctions make transistors possible?
How do semiconductors differ from electrical conductors and insulators?
How does a donor atom provide a conduction electron in a silicon crystal?
How does a semiconductor’s band gap affect its ability to conduct electricity?
How does an acceptor atom create a hole in a silicon crystal?
How does an n-p-n transistor amplify an electrical signal?
How does arsenic doping create an n-type silicon semiconductor?
How does boron doping create a p-type silicon semiconductor?
How does doping change the electrical properties of silicon?
How does forward bias allow current to flow across a p-n junction?
How does increased impurity concentration affect charge-carrier mobility in a semiconductor?
How does light create charge carriers in a photoconductor?
How does phosphorus doping create an n-type silicon semiconductor?
How does reverse bias limit current flow through a p-n junction?
How does silicon dioxide improve silicon-based electronic devices?
How does the band gap of silicon compare with the band gap of gallium arsenide?
How does the number of charge carriers affect a semiconductor’s conductivity?
How does thermal energy create electron-hole pairs in a pure semiconductor?
How is gallium arsenide formed from elements in the periodic table?
What happens when a p-n junction reaches its breakdown voltage?
Which elements are commonly used as dopants in silicon?
Which elements are examples of elemental semiconductors?
Who discovered the p-n junction at Bell Labs in 1940?
Why are electrons the majority charge carriers in n-type semiconductors?
Why are holes the majority charge carriers in p-type semiconductors?
Why can a tiny amount of impurity greatly increase silicon’s conductivity?
Why can an n-p-n transistor send many electrons to the collector for each electron reaching the base?
Why can junction breakdown be nondestructive when power dissipation is limited?
Why did silicon replace germanium as the main material for semiconductor devices?
Why do different semiconductor photoconductors respond to different frequencies of light?
Why do holes move in the opposite direction from electrons in a semiconductor?
Why do metals conduct electricity better than semiconductors according to band theory?
Why does a semiconductor diode conduct mainly in one direction?
Why does electron mobility in semiconductors generally decrease as temperature increases?
Why does pure silicon conduct electricity poorly at room temperature?
Why is diamond a good electrical insulator despite being made of carbon atoms?
Why is silicon widely used for integrated circuits?
What is platinum used for?
Where are the largest deposits of platinum?
What are the properties of platinum?
When did science begin?
Where was science invented?

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External Websites

IBM - What is a semiconductor?
City University of Hong Kong - Semiconductor Materials and Physics (PDF)
Energy Education - Semiconductor
Engineering LibreTexts - Semiconductors
Edison Tech Center - Semiconductor
Scholars at HARVARD - Semiconductors
Minnesota Libraries Publishing Project - History of High Tech - Semiconductors, ICs, PCs
Computer History Museum - The Silicon Engine - 1874: Semiconductor Point-Contact Rectifier Effect is Discovered
National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - The changing landscape of semiconductor manufacturing: why the health sector should care

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Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

semiconductor - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

conductivities Typical range of conductivities for insulators, semiconductors, and conductors.

semiconductor

electronics

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Last updated

Oct. 26, 2026 •History

semiconductor, any of a class of crystalline solids intermediate in electrical conductivity between a conductor and an insulator. Semiconductors are employed in the manufacture of various kinds of electronic devices, including diodes, transistors, and integrated circuits. Such devices have found wide application because of their compactness, reliability, power efficiency, and low cost. As discrete components, they have found use in power devices, optical sensors, and light emitters, including solid-state lasers. They have a wide range...

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