Electronics You Might Not Have Learned In College: Lesson 6 - Semiconductors

In Electronics You Might Not Have Learned In College: Lesson 6 - Semiconductors, you'll learn ...

• The atomic structure and operation of semiconductors, including how electron and hole movement enables conductivity between insulators and conductors.
• The principles of P-type and N-type doping and how combining these materials forms functional semiconductor devices such as diodes and transistors.
• The structure, operation, and applications of basic semiconductor components — diodes, Zener diodes, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and solar cells — with emphasis on forward and reverse bias.
• Modern semiconductor technologies and advancements, including MOSFETs, integrated microcircuits, and emerging materials such as doped diamonds for next-generation electronic devices.

Overview

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Credit: 3 CPD

Length: 62 pages

In this lesson, “LESSON 6 – SEMICONDUCTORS”, a short history of discoveries and developments of semiconductors is presented. After that, a more detailed description of semiconductors at an atomic level is discussed and diagrams are used to show how the lattice structure of silicon is doped to form P and N type substructures.

The construction and application of the simplest semiconductors, diodes, is introduced and the molecular operation of doped silicon in diodes is explained using simple water analogies of diode circuits. The molecular level operation of Zener diodes and their use for voltage regulation are also explained. Light emitting diodes (LED’s) and solar cells are also presented and described at a molecular level.

Transistors, the main workhorses of solid-state circuits, are detailed at a molecular level. The P and N doping and saturation region will be described using water analogies. The operation and methods to calculate the gain of transistors operating in their linear range will also be shown. Likewise, explained in detail is the extensive use of transistors working in their saturation range for switching circuits. Also, the many terms used to measure the performance of transistors will also be defined.

Use of solder terminals and bread boards for designing and testing circuits using discrete components will be deeply investigated. If one is experimenting with the use of modern semiconductors, mounting of individual transistors, diodes, resistors and capacitors is a skill that is still essential.

Metal Oxide Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) have quickly replaced the great majority of conventional transistors in the semiconductor world. The making and operation of MOSFETs is explained in detail as are the difference and similarities to conventional transistors.

We also delve into the extreme miniaturization of semiconductors into microscopic circuit chips that use advanced methods to etch millions of Metal Oxide devices onto tiny microprocessors. We will also look into the amazing future of implantable microchips that are exploding in the world of medicine, space exploration, and robotics.

Finally, the use of diamonds is the newest area of semiconductors that we will explore. Even though they are still mainly in the research phase, doped diamonds are offering an amazing future of extremely fast microscopic semiconductors that were considered impossible only a few years ago.

Anyone in the technical sciences needs to acquire as much knowledge of the semiconductor world as possible. This lesson in semiconductors will provide engineers and the curious a good introductory foundation.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain semiconductor behavior at the atomic level, including electron and hole movement.
• Differentiate P-type and N-type doping and relate each to semiconductor conductivity.
• Illustrate how P-N junctions form diodes and produce forward- and reverse-bias behavior.
• Interpret diode schematic symbols, package markings, and manufacturer specification sheets.
• Compare standard diodes, Zener diodes, and LEDs by construction and application.
• Analyze bipolar junction transistor operation in linear and saturation regions.
• Calculate transistor gain and evaluate the effects of heating and overload conditions.
• Distinguish NPN, PNP, and complementary transistor configurations.
• Construct prototype semiconductor circuits using terminal strips, discrete components, or etched circuit boards.
• Evaluate MOSFET structure, operation, device variations, and their role in increasingly miniaturized integrated circuits.

Certificate of Completion

You will be able to immediately print a certificate of completion after passing a multiple-choice quiz consisting of 25 questions. CPD credits are not awarded until the course is completed and quiz is passed.