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Questions tagged [semiconductors]

Most generally a class of materials that are neither insulators or conductors in their natural state, but which can be manipulated via doping or electric fields to change their conduction state. Silicon, Germanium, and GaAs are some usual materials. The term is also used to speak about devices that are made from such materials, for example, a processor from Intel can be called a semiconductor.

4 votes
1 answer
788 views

Why are orange diode lasers still not common although orange LEDs have been around for decades?

Nowadays you can find lots of cheap laser diodes emitting light at wavelengths such as 405, 450, ~640, ≥780 and, since recently, also ~520 nm. But it's really hard to find a laser diode emitting at ...
4 votes
1 answer
80 views

What is meant by Switching charge ( under Gate charge characteristics) in the given MOSFET datasheet?

What is switching charge in this MOSFET datasheet? The switching actually takes place during Miller region. Hence I belive Qgd should be called as switching charge. But looks like the remianing gate ...
6 votes
4 answers
949 views

In a JFET, is the gate *always* connected to the bulk/substrate?

In a JFET, is the gate always connected to the bulk/substrate ? Or is there "no rule" (sometimes it is, sometimes it is not)? And what about the case of the MOSFET ?
3 votes
2 answers
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Interpreting Diode-Module Datasheet (Voltage Drop)

I'm trying to interpret the datasheet of a Dual-Diode Module, specifically the MF200C12F2N. The internal Circuit Structure is given below: The Forward Voltage is given as 2.3V without any further ...
8 votes
4 answers
2k views

How can I clip a voltage upper limit in an analog signal?

This is a theoretical question since I've come across this type of problem many times. Suppose an amplifier is powered between 12 V and -12 V, so the signal output can reach a maximum of 12V. If I am ...
1 vote
1 answer
153 views

Can "fried" semiconductor devices recover themselves over time?

When this whole "smart soldering iron" craze was just getting started, I jumped on the bandwagon and got myself the very first revision TS100. What I also got then is the complete inability ...
0 votes
0 answers
46 views

What is the purpose of having fewer holes/free electrons in the collector region of a BJT?

The functionality of the NPN/PNP sandwich as a means for the base current to control the one directional flow of current makes sense to me. However, I'm struggling to understand the details of the ...
1 vote
2 answers
143 views

Why do series NMOS do better than a single NMOS from a delay perspective?

My VLSI text (Weste and Harris) writes the following: Transistors in series drop part of the voltage across each transistor and thus experience smaller fields and less velocity saturation than single ...
0 votes
2 answers
146 views

Can a chip be damaged if it goes above operating temperature while running?

An image sensor I'm using has the following temperature spec: Absolute Maximums: Ambient storage Temperature Max: 125°C Recommended Operating Conditions: Stable image temperature Max: 50ºC ...
1 vote
0 answers
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What is happening at the gate of a JFET to cause an electric field?

I am reading "Practical Electronics for Inventers" 4th edition and came across this circuit. As I understand, for a JFET, current will flow from drain to source for a n-channel (opposite ...
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

Electrical Conductivity of SAC solder

Can anybody help me find the electrical conductivity of SAC 305 (96.5Sn3Ag0.5Cu) solder? It is the most common solder in semiconductor IGBT/MOSFET power switches. Many thanks and best regards,
0 votes
1 answer
62 views

Clarification on Diode Recovery Times and Conduction State

I have a diode in my circuit with reverse voltage of 100 V and forward voltage of 2 V. It experiences a reverse voltage of 100 V and immediately the voltage changes to 10 V in forward direction so it ...
0 votes
1 answer
117 views

Understanding thermal instability breakdown in pn junctions

I am currently reading Sze (Physics of Semiconductor Devices, 3e, Chapter 2.4.1) and am trying to understand his discussion of thermal instability breakdown/runaway in pn junctions. I have also ...
0 votes
2 answers
232 views

Using tunnel diode to cancel out armature resistance

Can we use tunnel diodes to cancel out armature resistance? A tunnel diode when it is in its negative differential region under DC shifted AC(AC with some DC offset) and if the Vp-p of the AC is very ...
1 vote
1 answer
100 views

Confusion about why pn junction discussion insensitive to doping variations faster than Debye length

Sze (Physics of Semiconductor Devices, 3e) gives the following discussion which relates to how equilibrium electric fields/equilibrium potential build-up at thermal equilibrium are related to doping ...

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