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Semiconductors are the heart of microprocessor chips as well as transistors. Almost all products that depend upon electronics, microwaves and RF signals are dependant upon semiconductors. The main material component of almost all semiconductor chips and transistors is silicon, which is used because of its crystalline structure. Silicone chips can be turned into a conductor by adding other materials to it. These materials add certain impurities, which as a classification are referred to as "doping." Doping creates two consistent types of impurities, which vary depending upon the materials added.
N-type doping is achieved when phosphorus or arsenic are added. Both phosphorus and arsenic release free electrons, because a fifth electron in each element cannot bond to the crystal lattice of silicon. This allows an electrical current to flow through the silicon network with a negative charge, which lends itself to the N-type naming.
P-type doping uses either boron or gallium as the dopant. Both boron and gallium have only three electrons. When these three electrons bond to the silicon crystal lattice, they leave an empty silicon electron, which remains unbound. This unbound electron allows a positive charge to flow through the crystal, hence the name P-type.
Semiconductors are divisible into three main categories, diodes, transistors and chips,
Diodes are the simplest semiconductor devices. They allow current to flow in only one direction, completely preventing the opposite flow. Diodes are designed with a two-layer structure, one layer a p-type semiconductor, the other an n-type.
Transistors are created by using three layers rather than the two layers used in a diode. They are designed in either an NPN or a PNP configuration. Transistors can be used as switches or amplifiers.
Silicon chips are composed thousands of transistors embedded into the silicon structure. These transistors when acting as switches, create Boolean gates, which are used in microprocessor chips.
Categories within the Semiconductors family include analog linear devices, communications and telecommunications chips, data acquisition chips, data converter chips, digital logic devices, diodes, IC interface devices, IC passive components, IC timing devices, memory chips, microprocessors and microcontrollers, power management chips, programmable logic devices, rf and wireless IC chips, sensor chips, thyristors, transistors, and video, audio, multimedia chips.
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