A semiconductor is a material that, by changing a control parameter (for example, the voltage applied to it at a terminal), behaves in a way that varies between conducting and insulating, allowing or preventing the passage of electric current. The devices that are made with semiconductors and that serve to control the passage of current are called transistors, and are the basic component of all modern electronics.
Semiconductors are the basis for making integrated circuits, also called chips. In fact, the term “semiconductor” is sometimes used to refer to chips, although they are different things. Over the past 75 years, semiconductor technology has allowed chips to be incorporated into our lives, being a crucial component for modern technology. These advances have allowed devices to become smaller, faster and more portable, without losing capacity or performance, making it possible to manufacture electronic devices that are fundamental to our daily lives, such as cell phones, computers, etc.
They are made of pure elements such as silicon or germanium, although composite materials such as gallium arsenide are also used. Then, through a process called doping, their properties are changed, which allows them to be used in electronic circuits. At present, the typical size of the basic components of integrated circuits, the transistor, is typically around 5-10 nanometers. As a comparison, a human hair is typically more than 10000 times thicker. This small size makes the manufacturing processes very complex and therefore very expensive.
