Semiconductors are material that can both conduct and insulate electricity, depending on their environment. Thus the name— semiconductors. They are versatile tools that are often used in computing to create compact components and circuits, which enables a lot of our minimized modern technology like solar panels and transistors. Common environmental conditions that make semiconductors change their behavior regarding electricity are temperature and chemical exposure.
There are two main types of semiconductors:
- P-type semiconductors, which have more positive “holes” and less free negative electrons.
- N-type semiconductors, which have more free negative electrons and less positive “holes.”
To remember which is which, think of it as “P-type = positive, N-type = negative.”