Transistors and Semiconductors
Download
Report
Transcript Transistors and Semiconductors
Transistors and
Semiconductors
Miracle Makers of
Modern Electronics
Research at
http://www.pbs.org/transistor/sc
ience/index.html
And
Graphics courtesy intel.com
http://www.intel.com/education
/transworks/index.htm?iid=sear
ch&
Related links
http://www.pbs.org/transistor/science/i
nfo/transmodern.html
Direct link to field effect animation
http://www.pbs.org/transistor/quicktim
es/movieclips/fieldeffectVIDEO/fieldeffe
ctVIDEO_56K.mov
State Standard
Student know the properties of
transistors and the role of transistors in
electric circuits.
Microchip vs Transistor vs.
Semiconductor
Semiconductor- element with both
conducting and insulating properties
Transistor – an electronic device that
uses properties of semiconductors
Microchip – contains many transistors
Before Transistors
There was the vacuum
tube
Silicon
Element with atomic number 14
Four electrons in outer shell
Makes perfect crystals
No free electrons
available for conduction
Doping – Add Impurities
Add phosphorus or arsenic with 5 outer
electrons – provides free electrons
needed for electric current to flow
Makes N- type silicon
Charges that flow are negative –
electrons
Doped silicon is “semiconductor”
Diode – Simplest
Semiconductor Device
Connected this way, no current flows
When battery polarity reversed
current can flow
(Holes and electrons meet at
junction, combine; new ones
form)
Diodes conduct only
one way
Graphics courtesy “How Stuff Works”
Transistors – Tiny Switches
Can be On or Off
Microprocessors work by binary flow
of information – ones and zeros
Transistors consist of three terminals;
the source, the gate, and the drain.
This type of
transistor is
called a Field
Effect
Transistor
Text and graphics courtesy intel.com
In the n-type transistor, both the source
and the drain are negatively-charged and
sit on a positively-charged well of psilicon.
When positive voltage is applied to the
gate, electrons in the p-silicon are
attracted to the area under the gate
forming an electron channel between the
source and the drain.
When positive voltage is applied to the
drain, the electrons are pulled from the
source to the drain. In this state the
transistor is on.
If the voltage at the gate is removed,
electrons aren't attracted to the area
between the source and drain. The
pathway is broken and the transistor is
turned off.
P – Type Transistors
Add boron or gallium to silicon
Have only three outer electrons
Form “holes” that can accept an
electron from a neighbor
Also conducts current
Majority current carriers are holes (+)
rather than electrons (-)
Less common today
Junction(Bi-polar) Transistors
Terminals are “emitter,” “ base” and
“collector” instead of source, gate and
drain
Less common today
Bipolar transistors are
essentially "current"
amplifiers while FETS
could be considered
voltage amplifiers.
Amplification in Bi-Polar
Transistor
A small change in
current in the
emitter base
circuit produces a
large change in
current through
the collector.
link
Closer Look :PNP Junction
Transistor
If a positive voltage is applied to the emitter, current will flow through
the p-n junction with "holes" moving to the right and "electrons
moving to the left. Taken from http://www.electronicstutorials.com/basics/transistors.htm
Field Effect Transistors
weak electrical signal coming in through one
electrode creates an electrical field through
the rest of the transistor. This field flips from
positive to negative when the incoming signal
does, and controls a second current traveling
through the rest of the transistor. The field
modulates the second current to mimic the
first one -- but it can be substantially larger.
From PBS.org http://www.pbs.org/transistor/science/info/transmodern.html
Animation of Junction
Transistor
Explanation at Bell Labs website:
http://www.lucent.com/minds/transistor/tech.html
Microchips
Consist of thousands or millions of transistors and other electrical
elements working together