A semiconductor is a material that has electrical conductivity between those of a conductor and an insulator. The conductivity of a semiconductor material can be varied under an external electrical field. Devices made from semiconductor materials are the foundation of modern electronics, including radio, computers, telephones, and many other devices. Semiconductor devices include the transistor, many kinds of diodes including the light-emitting diode, the silicon controlled rectifier, and digital and analog integrated circuits. Solar photovoltaic panels are large semiconductor devices that directly convert light energy into electrical energy.
In a metallic conductor, current is carried by the flow of electrons. In semiconductors, current can be carried either by the flow of electrons or by the flow of positively-charged "holes" in the electron structure of the material. Silicon is used to create most semiconductors commercially. Dozens of other materials are used, including germanium, gallium arsenide, and silicon carbide. A pure semiconductor is often called an “intrinsic” semiconductor. The conductivity, or ability to conduct, of semiconductor material can be drastically changed by adding other elements, called “impurities” to the melted intrinsic material and then allowing the melt to solidify into a new and different crystal. This process is called "doping".
- Wikipedia| Semiconductor | Eg
(eV) | ni
(cm-3) | εr | μn
(cm2/V∙s) | Ec
(MV/cm) | Vsat
(107 cm/s) | λ
(W/cm∙k) | Direct/
Indirect |
| Si | 1.1 | 1.5e10 | 11.8 | 1350 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.5 | I |
| Ge | 0.66 | 2.4e13 | 16.0 | 3900 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | I |
| GaAs | 1.4 | 1.8e6 | 12.8 | 8500 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 0.5 | D |
| GaP | 2.3 | 7.7e-1 | 11.1 | 350 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 0.8 | I |
| InP | 1.86 | ~1e3 | 9.6 | 3000 | 1.0 | 2.5 | - | D |
| GaN | 3.39 | 1.9e-10 | 9.0 | 900 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 1.3 | D |
| 3C-SiC | 2.2 | 6.9 | 9.6 | 900 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 4.5 | I |
| 4H-SiC | 3.26 | 8.2e-9 | 10 | 720a
650c | 2.0 | 2.0 | 4.5 | I |
| 6H-SiC | 3.0 | 2.3e-6 | 9.7 | 370a
50c | 2.4 | 2.0 | 4.5 | I |
| Diamond | 5.45 | 1.6e-27 | 5.5 | 1900 | 5.6 | 2.7 | 20 | I |
| BN | 6.0 | 1.5e-31 | 7.1 | 5 | 10 | 1.0* | 13 | I |
| AlN | 6.1 | ~1e-31 | 8.7 | 1100 | 11.7 | 1.8 | 2.5 | D |
Si = Silicon
Ge = Germanium
GaAs = Gallium Arsenide
GaP = Gallium Phosphide
InP = Indium Phosphide
GaN = Gallium Nitride
3C-SiC = Zinc Blende (Cubic) Silicon Carbide T2d-F43m
4H-SiC = Wurtzite (Hexagonal) Silicon Carbide C46v-P63mc
6H-SiC = Wurtzite (Hexagonal) Silicon Carbide C53v-R3m
BN = Boron Nitride
AlN = Aluminum Nitride | a = mobility along the a-axis
c = mobility along the c-axis
* = estimate
Data Source = Proceedings of IEEE,
Vol. 90, No. 6, June 2002
Properties of SiC |