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The term solid-state became popular at the beginning of the semiconductor era in the 1960s to distinguish this new technology. A semiconductor device works by controlling an electric current consisting of electrons or holes moving within a solid crystalline piece of semiconducting material such as silicon, while the thermionic vacuum tubes it replaced worked by controlling a current of ...
Solid-state physics is the study of rigid matter, or solids, through methods such as solid-state chemistry, quantum mechanics, crystallography, electromagnetism, and metallurgy. It is the largest branch of condensed matter physics. Solid-state physics studies how the large-scale properties of solid materials result from their atomic-scale ...
Examples include lasers, electron microscopes, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices and the components used in computing hardware. The study of semiconductors led to the invention of the diode and the transistor, which are indispensable parts of modern electronics systems, computer and telecommunications devices. Another application is for ...
Outlines of some packaged semiconductor devices. A semiconductor device is an electronic component that relies on the electronic properties of a semiconductor material (primarily silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide, as well as organic semiconductors) for its function. Its conductivity lies between conductors and insulators.
The solid-state design allows for operation in severe environments. Thermoelectric generators have no moving parts which produce a more reliable device that does not require maintenance for long periods. The durability and environmental stability have made thermoelectrics a favorite for NASA's deep space explorers among other applications. [18]
Solid-state ionic devices, such as solid oxide fuel cells, can be much more reliable and long-lasting, especially under harsh conditions, than comparable devices with fluid electrolytes. [1] The field of solid-state ionics was first developed in Europe, starting with the work of Michael Faraday on solid electrolytes Ag 2 S and PbF 2 in 1834.
A solid-state battery (SSB) is an electrical battery that uses a solid electrolyte to conduct ions between the electrodes, instead of the liquid or gel polymer electrolytes found in conventional batteries. [1] Solid-state batteries theoretically offer much higher energy density than the typical lithium-ion or lithium polymer batteries. [2]
In solid-state physics, a metal–semiconductor (M–S) junction is a type of electrical junction in which a metal comes in close contact with a semiconductor material. It is the oldest type of practical semiconductor device. M–S junctions can either be rectifying or non-rectifying.