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semiconductor
[ sem-ee-kuhn-duhk-ter, sem-ahy- ]
noun
- a substance, as silicon or germanium, with electrical conductivity intermediate between that of an insulator and a conductor: a basic component of various kinds of electronic circuit element semiconductor device used in communications, control, and detection technology and in computers.
- a semiconductor device.
semiconductor
/ ˌɛɪəˈʌə /
noun
- a substance, such as germanium or silicon, that has an electrical conductivity that increases with temperature and is intermediate between that of a metal and an insulator
- a device, such as a transistor or integrated circuit, that depends on the properties of such a substance
- ( as modifier )
a semiconductor diode
semiconductor
- Any of various solid substances, such as silicon or germanium, that conduct electricity more easily than insulators but less easily than conductors. In semiconductors, thermal energy is enough to cause a small number of electrons to escape from the valence bonds between the atoms (the valence band ); they orbit instead in the higher-energy conduction band , in which they are relatively free. The resulting gaps in the valence band are called holes . Semiconductors are vital to the design of electronic components and circuitry, including transistors, laser diodes, and memory and computer processing circuits.
semiconductor
- A material that conducts ( see conduction ) electricity , but very poorly. Silicon is the most common and familiar semiconductor. Devices made from semiconductors, such as the transistor , are the basis of the modern microelectric industry.
Derived Forms
- ˌDzˈܳپDz, noun
Word History and Origins
Origin of semiconductor1
Example Sentences
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that last week: "President Trump has made it clear America cannot rely on China to manufacture critical technologies such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones and laptops."
Nvidia designs advanced chips, or semiconductors, that are used in generative artificial intelligence.
Malaysia, which is gearing up to be a semiconductor hub, could be hit with 24% tariffs.
But economists note that domestic manufacturing of motor vehicles and electronic products is heavily reliant on imported raw materials such as steel and aluminum and complex components such as semiconductors and computer chips.
Even so, Trump has doubled down on tariffs, ordering a national security trade investigation into the semiconductor sector.
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