Semiconductor Devices

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Direct Links to Other Semiconductors Pages:
Basic Semiconductor Structures:	[Basic Semiconductor Crystal Structure] [The PN Junction] [The Transistor]
Field Effect Transistors (FETs):	[Junction FET] [Depletion Mode MOSFET] [Enhancement Mode MOSFET]
Adding More Junctions:	[The Four-Layer Diode] [The Silicon Controlled Rectifier] [The Silicon Controlled Switch] [The Diac and Triac]
Specialized Devices:	[A Touch of Physics] [Specialized Diodes] [The Unijunction Transistor]

Semiconductor Devices

These pages are intended to describe the basic structure and general properties of semiconductor devices. We will not be showing such devices in working circuits in this set of pages; other pages already under development will serve that purpose. However, I have received a number of inquiries on the order of "What is a MOSFET?" and "What's inside a transistor?" This set of pages is intended to answer such questions.

In some cases we'll be dealing with some rather technical terms, and we will sometimes have to deal with some essential concepts involved in physics. More general explanations and definitions will also be given, so if you don't need the technical definitions, don't worry about them. The terms are present in case you actually need them.

These pages will begin with basic semiconductor structure and what happens when impurities are added to a pure silicon crystal through a process known as "doping." We'll look at what happens when two or three different regions are created within a single silicon crystal. Then we'll start to look at variations: field-effect devices, devices with four and even five different regions, and finally the kinds of effects we can get when we change the amount of impurities within the crystal.

If a new semiconductor device is invented, I will add it to the site as soon as I do the necessary research. And if you are interested in a device that is not listed, by all means ask for it. Especially as these pages are first introduced, they may well not be complete.