This chapter will cover the physics behind the operation of semiconductor devices and show how these principles are applied in…
“I think it is safe to say that no one understands quantum mechanics.” Physicist Richard P. Feynman To say that…
Valence The electrons in the outer most shell, or valence shell, are known as valence electrons. These valence electrons are…
There were some historic crude, but usable semiconductor rectifiers before high purity materials were available. Ferdinand Braun invented a lead…
The bipolar junction transistor (BJT) was named because its operation involves conduction by two carriers: electrons and holes in the same crystal.…
The field effect transistor was proposed by Julius Lilienfeld in US patents in 1926 and 1933 (1,900,018). Moreover, Shockley, Brattain,…
The insulated-gate field-effect transistor (IGFET), also known as the metal oxide field effect transistor (MOSFET), is a derivative of the field effect transistor (FET).…
Thyristors are a broad classification of bipolar-conducting semiconductor devices having four (or more) alternating N-P-N-P layers. Thyristors include: silicon controlled rectifier…
Superconducting devices, though not widely used, have some unique characteristics not available in standard semiconductor devices. High sensitivity with respect…
Most integrated circuits are digital, based on MOS (CMOS) transistors. Every couple of years since the late 1960\'s a geometry…
