<company> A semiconductor manufacturer, responsible for the SC/MP, National Semiconductor 16000 and {National Semiconductor 32000} series of microprocessors. (2005-06-09)

Semiconductor (also Semiconductor Films) is UK artist duo Ruth Jarman and Joe Gerhardt. They have been working together for over twenty years producing visually and intellectually engaging moving image works which explore the material nature of our world and how we experience it through the lens of science and technology, questioning how these devices mediate our experiences.

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.

<electronics> A material, typically crystaline, which allows current to flow under certain circumstances. Common semiconductors are silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide. Semiconductors are used to make diodes, transistors and other basic "solid state" electronic components. As crystals of these materials are grown, they are "doped" with traces of other elements called donors or acceptors to make regions which are n- or p-type respectively for the electron model or p- or n-type under the hole model. Where n and p type regions adjoin, a junction is formed which will pass current in one direction (from p to n) but not the other, giving a diode. One model of semiconductor behaviour describes the doping elements as having either free electrons or holes dangling at the points in the crystal lattice where the doping elements replace one of the atoms of the foundation material. When external electrons are applied to n-type material (which already has free electrons present) the repulsive force of like charges causes the free electrons to migrate toward the junction, where they are attracted to the holes in the p-type material. Thus the junction conducts current. In contrast, when external electrons are applied to p-type material, the attraction of unlike charges causes the holes to migrate away from the junction and toward the source of external electrons. The junction thus becomes "depleted" of its charge carriers and is non-conducting. (1995-10-04)

An intrinsic (pure) semiconductor, also called an undoped semiconductor or i-type semiconductor, is a pure semiconductor without any significant dopant species present. The number of charge carriers is therefore determined by the properties of the material itself instead of the amount of impurities.

A mechanism for sharing data between two {application programs} where changes to the data made by one application appear instantly in the other's copy. Under System 7 on the Macintosh the users establishes a hotlink by doing a "Create Publisher" on the server and "Subscribe" on the client. Under Windows 3 it's "Cut Special"(?) and "Paste Special" (as opposed to the normal Cut and Paste). (1995-02-16)

also semi-conductor (semiconductors)

Substances which conduct static electricity poorly, but quite appreciably and beyond the extent of leakage. The following are examples: Alcohol and ether, powdered glass, flowers of sulphur, dry wood, paper, ice at 0º C. (32º F.)