ABSTRACT
This chapter offers a concise overview of semiconductors. Solid materials are categorized into conductors, semiconductors, and insulators based on conductivity levels. Semiconductors are characterized by their highly mutable conductivity through impurity doping or some electrical means. Semiconductor devices exploit the latter. In n-type semiconductors with donor doping, electrons are majority carriers, whereas in p-type semiconductors with acceptor doping, holes are majority carriers. The exponential technological growth of semiconductor devices and integrated circuits forms the hardware foundation of today’s information technology.
