CHAPTER 1 - Diode and Transistor Operation

Abstract

This chapter elaborates the detail of diode and operation transistor. Any semiconductor integrated circuit (IC), regardless of size or technology, consists of hundreds to millions of diodes and transistors packed into a small space, usually less than 0.5 cm2 in size, all operating together. Semiconductors are made from either silicon or germanium. It has been found that the characteristics of these materials fall somewhere between those of conductors and insulators. The resistance of these materials to electron conduction makes them ideal materials for transistors and diodes. In P-type semiconductor creation, some electrons are removed from the semiconductor by the doping process to create more holes. In the N-type creation, electrons are added to carry current. There are many varieties of diodes and their use depends on their application. These devices comprise two terminals with characteristic behavior that is nonlinear with temperature. Transistors are called nonlinear because the relationship between the current and the voltage is not linear. They are current-controlled, meaning that a small increase in the input current causes a large change at the output. It has been found that the common collector configuration functions over wide frequency ranges and is used in impedance stepping.