MS&E #18 Electrical Properties
43 flashcards · Physics · by Kristóf Nagy
Ionic conduction
Conduction of electricity via the movement of ions rather than electrons.
Matthiessen's rule
A principle stating that the total resistivity of a material is the sum of the resistivities due to different mechanisms.
Metal
A good conductor of heat and electricity, characterized by overlapping valence and conduction bands.
Mobility
The velocity of charge carriers (electrons or holes) per unit electric field.
MOSFET
Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor, a widely used type of transistor in modern electronic devices.
Ohm's law
The relationship between voltage, current, and resistance in an electrical circuit, stated as �=��V=IR
Permittivity
A measure of how much a material reduces the electric field inside it compared to that outside it, denoted by �ε.
Piezoelectric
A material that generates an electric field in response to mechanical stress.
Polarization
The alignment of electric dipoles in a dielectric material in response to an electric field.
Polarization, electronic
Polarization caused by the movement of electrons within atoms or molecules.
Polarization, ionic
Polarization caused by the movement of ions within a material.
Polarization, orientation
Polarization caused by the orientation of electric dipoles in a material.
Rectifying junction
A p-n junction that allows current to flow preferentially in one direction.
Relaxation frequency
The frequency at which a polarization mechanism becomes ineffective due to the inability of the material to respond fast enough to the oscillating electric field.
Resistivity, electrical
A measure of how strongly a material resists the flow of electric current, denoted by �ρ.
Reverse bias
Connecting a voltage source to a p-n junction such that the p-side is negative and the n-side is positive, preventing current from flowing.
Semiconductor
A material with intermediate electrical conductivity, typically characterized by a small energy band gap.
Valence band
The lowest energy band in a solid, which contains allowed energy levels for tightly bound electrons.
Acceptor state (level)
An energy level within the band gap of a semiconductor that accepts an electron from the valence band, creating a hole.
Capacitance
The ability of a material to store charge, quantified as the ratio of charge to voltage.
Conduction band
The highest energy band in a solid, which contains allowed energy levels for free electrons.
Conductivity, electrical
A measure of a material's ability to conduct electricity, defined as the inverse of resistivity.
Dielectric
A non-conducting material that can be polarized by an electric field.
Dielectric constant
A measure of a dielectric material's ability to reduce the electric field inside it compared to that outside it, typically denoted by eta.
Dielectric displacement
The electric flux density inside a dielectric material, denoted by �D.
Dielectric strength
The maximum electric field that a dielectric material can withstand without breaking down.
Diode
A two-terminal semiconductor device that allows current to flow in one direction only.
Dipole, electric
Two equal but oppositely charged objects close together, creating an electric field.
Donor state (level)
An energy level within the band gap of a semiconductor that donates an electron to the conduction band.
Doping
Intentionally introducing impurities into a semiconductor to modify its electrical properties.
Electron energy band
A continuous range of allowed energy levels that electrons in a solid can occupy.
Energy band gap
The energy difference between the conduction band and the valence band in a solid.
Extrinsic semiconductor
A semiconductor that has been doped with impurities to increase its conductivity.
Fermi energy
The energy level at which the probability of occupation by an electron is 0.5, used as a reference point for calculating the distribution of electrons in a semiconductor.
Ferroelectric
A material that exhibits spontaneous electric polarization below a certain critical temperature.
Forward bias
Connecting a voltage source to a p-n junction such that the p-side is positive and the n-side is negative, allowing current to flow easily.
Free electron
An electron that is not bound to an atom and is able to move freely through a solid.
Hall effect
A phenomenon in which a magnetic field causes a voltage to develop perpendicular to the current flowing through a conductor.
Hole
A vacancy in the valence band that behaves like a positive charge carrier.
Insulator
A material with a large band gap that prevents significant current flow.
Integrated circuit
A complete electronic circuit built on a single semiconductor chip.
Intrinsic semiconductor
A semiconductor that has not been doped and whose conductivity comes entirely from thermally excited electrons and holes.
Junction transistor
A type of transistor consisting of two p-n junctions in close proximity, enabling amplification of weak signals.