Transistors, How do they work .mp4 Flashcards
What technology revolutionized human civilization significantly?
Transistors
Transistors are fundamental components in modern electronics, enabling the development of devices like smartphones.
How many transistors does a typical smartphone processor hold?
About 2 billion
This immense number of transistors allows for complex computations and functions in smartphones.
What is the basic function of a transistor?
Amplification
Transistors can amplify weak signals, which is crucial for various electronic applications.
What material are transistors primarily made of?
Semiconductors such as silicon
Silicon is the most commonly used semiconductor in electronics.
What type of bond occurs between silicon atoms?
Covalent bond
Each silicon atom shares electrons with neighboring silicon atoms, forming a stable structure.
What must electrons do for pure silicon to conduct electricity?
Absorb some energy and become free electrons
Pure silicon has low electrical conductivity until it is modified.
What is the effect of doping silicon with phosphorous?
Creates n-type doping
Phosphorous has five valence electrons, allowing one to become free and enhance conductivity.
What is created when silicon is doped with boron?
P-type doping
Boron has three valence electrons, resulting in holes that allow for electron movement.
What happens at the boundary of a p-type and n-type silicon?
Electrons migrate to fill holes, creating an electric field
This electric field opposes further migration of electrons, establishing a diode’s behavior.
What is forward biasing in a diode?
Electrons are attracted to holes, allowing current to flow
This occurs when the power source is connected correctly, overcoming the potential barrier.
What is the structure of a transistor in terms of diodes?
Essentially two diodes sandwiched back to back
This configuration allows the transistor to control current flow based on biasing.
What happens when the base current of a bipolar junction transistor increases?
Collector current increases proportionally
This demonstrates the transistor’s ability to amplify current.
What type of transistor is primarily discussed?
Bipolar junction transistor (BJT)
BJTs are widely used in amplifiers and switching applications.
What basic memory element can be built using two BJTs?
Flip-flop
Flip-flops are essential components in digital memory and circuits.
What is a key property of transistors that allows them to function in digital electronics?
They can act as a switch
This property enables the control of electronic signals in circuits.
Fill in the blank: Transistors can amplify a weak signal, which is the basic function of a _______.
transistor
