Glossary

A

Alternating Current

An electric current that reverses its direction at regularly recurring intervals (AC)

Amplification

Utilization of an input of power to obtain an output of greater magnitude (larger output)

Anode

The positive terminal of a direct current supply.

B

Bardeen, John

Co-inventor of Transistor

Base

Being of comparatively low value and having relatively inferior properties

Brattain, Walter

Co-inventor of Transistor

C

Capacitors

A device that stores electric charge

Charge-carrier

A hole or an electron carries charge, which is what goes through the circuit or semiconductor crystal. They are therefore called charge carriers.

Collector

A conductor maintaining contact between moving and stationary parts of an electric circuit

Conventional current

The flow of current from the positive pole to the negative pole of a cell

Crystals

A regular solid sample of a pure substance. Its atoms are arranged in a regular pattern

D

Depletion region

This is the region at the P-N junction which opposes flow of current through it.

Dies

Term for circuit patterns

E

Electric field

An electric field is a field created around a current carrying material, as well as magnetic materials. An electric field runs from positive to negative charge

Electrode

A conductor used to establish electrical contact with a nonmetallic part of a circuit

Electrons

Negatively charged particles of matter; make up volume of an atom

Emitter

A device used to throw or give off or out (as in light or current)

F

Fluctuating

a) to ebb and flow in waves (scientifically)

b) varied, unstable, or unsteady - always changing

Frequency

The number of cycles of a periodic motion in a unit time. In context of electric current, this usually means the number of vibrations of the fluctuating current.

resistance - opposition to the flow of current

G

Gate

This is the region of the transistor whose voltage affects the flow of current through the transistor. It is usually present in Field Effect Transistors.

Gordon Teal

Scientist who gave the idea to William Shockley to make three-layered semiconductor crystals.

H

I

Induction

Process by which an electrical conductor becomes electrified when near a charged body, by which a magnetizable body becomes magnetized when in a magnetic field or in the magnetic flux set up by a magnetomotive force, or by which an electromotive force is produced in a circuit by varying the magnetic field linked with the circuit.

Insulator

Any material which practically does not conducts energy (esp. electricity)

J

K

L

M

Morgan Sparks

assisted Gordon Teal in his research

N

Nobel prize

Any of various prizes (as in peace, literature, medicine, physics) established by the will of Alfred Nobel for the encouragement of persons who work for the interests of humanity.

O

Ohm's Law

States that the voltage in a circuit is equal to the current multiplied by the resistance. (V=IR) Therefore, voltage changes with resistance for a constant current, or with the current when the resistance is constant.

Oscillators

An object that vibrates, or produces vibrations in other objects

P

Photoresist

A special chemical used in the making of the integrated circuit. It gets gooey in ultra-violet light

PN-Junction

The barrier between P- and N-type semiconductor materials.

Polysilicon

A polymer (large network) of silicon atoms

Q

R

Rectifier

A device which allows current to flow only in one direction.

Resistor

Any material which opposes the flow of charge

Resultant output voltage

After a voltage is entered into a circuit, it passes through various different parts, and thus the resultant output voltage is the voltage after it has run through the circuit

S

Semiconductor

Certain elements within Group IV of the periodic table are able to, under certain conditions, conduct electricity, and at other times, also act as an insulator

Shockley, William

Co-inventor of Transistor

Silicon dioxide

Compound of silicon and oxygen which is used in integrated circuits to keep the different parts of the final circuit separated from others, which it can do because of the fact that it doesn't conduct electricity. It can be considered to be the rust of silicon.

Supercede

To take the place, room or position of or

To force out of use as inferior

Superconductivity

The state of zero resistance found in many substances at very low temperatures. A current then placed in the superconducting circuit will then go around forever, as there is no resistance.

T

Terminal

An electric contact made for transfer of electric current

Transistor

An electronic device that is similar to the electron tube in use (as amplification and rectification) and consists of a small block of a semiconductor (like germanium) with at least three electrodes

U

V

Voltage

Electric potential or potential difference expressed in volts (V)

A common name for potential difference or electromotive force. Electromotive force (emf) drives charge around a circuit. Potential difference is the voltage produced across an electric device caused by an emf due, for example, to a charge flowing through a transistor.

W

X
Y

Z