10 things you should know about semiconductor materials

Semiconductor materials are used in many places for a wide range of purposes. Semiconductor materials are used in solar power systems, in power-transmission lines, in the telecommunications industry, in computer chips, in wristwatches, in environmental monitoring, and in many other places.

There is a variety of semiconductor materials in use today and they can be divided into three broad categories: conductors, insulators, and semimetals. Conductors have a low resistivity, while materials with higher resistivity have low conductivity. This is important because the electrical properties of a semiconductor can have a large impact on the device you are working on.

Semiconductor materials are made up of a variety of different chemicals. The term "semiconductor" means "half conductor." It's a material that has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor, such as metallic copper, and an insulator, such as glass. Its resistivity falls as its temperature rises; metals behave in the opposite way. This means that as the temperature climbs, the resistance of the semiconductor material falls. The conductivity, on the other hand, becomes more conductive. So, the conductivity at room temperature is higher than the conductivity at the melting point.

If a semiconductor material has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor, such as metallic copper, and an insulator, such as glass, its resistivity falls as its temperature rises. This allows for a wider range of operating temperatures and allows for better power efficiency.