Electrical conductivity

Semiconductors are a class of materials with special electrical properties that lie between those of conductors and insulators. They enable precise control of the electrical current and are therefore essential for modern electronic applications. The most important semiconductor materials are silicon and germanium, which belong to the fourth main group of the periodic table. The electrical conductivity of semiconductors can be influenced by doping, i.e. the targeted introduction of foreign atoms. This results in n-doped (excess electrons) or p-doped (lack of electrons) semiconductors. [...]