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| Introduction |
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| In the chapter on current electricity, we had learnt about the flow of charges, conditions to produce the flow and how different materials respond to an external electric field. We had seen how materials are classified as conductors and insulators. |
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| In this chapter, we will study a new type of material called |
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| 'semi conductors'. These semiconductors do not conduct electricity when an electric field is applied but the conductivity is very small when compared to conductors like metals. For example, silicon is a semiconductor. Its conductivity is about 1011 times smaller than that of copper. In addition, the conductivity of a semiconductor increases as the temperature increases. This property is made use of to construct devices like diodes, transistors, oscillators, gates, adders etc. which have revolutionized the modern world. |
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