Semiconductor Electronics

Conductors allow charge to flow easily

Conductors allow charge to flow easily because they have many free electrons. Insulators have practically no free electrons and a large forbidden gap,

When many atoms come together

When many atoms come together in a solid, their discrete atomic energy levels split into a large number of closely spaced levels called an energy band

The valence band is the highest

The valence band is the highest occupied band containing valence electrons. The conduction band is the next permitted band above it. Current conductio

The forbidden gap is the range

The forbidden gap is the range of energies between the valence band and the conduction band where no electron states are allowed. In diamond the gap i

The highest energy level in

The highest energy level in the valence band at absolute zero is called the Fermi level. In an intrinsic semiconductor, it lies at the centre of the f