Daniela Seczon

Semiconductor and Electromagnetic radiation definitions:

Semiconductor: a solid substance, intermediate in electrical conductivity between a

conductor and an insulator. It is commonly made out of silicone and it is useful for the
construction of electronic devices.
p-type semiconductor: is an extrinsic semiconductor that has been doped with acceptor
atoms in which holes concentration in greater than electrons concentration and
conduction is due to the holes which are the majority carriers of electricity.
n-type semiconductor: it is an extrinsic semiconductor that has been doped with donor
atoms in which electron concentration is greater than the hole concentration and
conduction is due to electrons which are the majority carriers of electricity.
Depletion layer: it refers to a region where the flow of charge carriers is decreased over
a given time and results in empty mobile charge carriers.
Diode: it is a specialized electric component with two dissimilar semiconducting
substances, p-junction and n-junction are placed together, allowing the flow of current in
only one direction.
Forward bias: Biasing is such an arrangement made in the PN junction device so that
the device allows the flow of larger current in one direction. The device is said to be
forward biased if the anode is connected to the positive end and cathode is connected to
the negative end of the battery.
Reverse bias: is a voltage applied to an electrode of an electronic device which is
negative with respect to ground.
Photons: a particle that carries energy which depends on radiation frequency and
represents a quantum of light. All photons travel at the speed of light; they have no
electric charge.
Phonons: a unit of vibrational energy that arises from oscillating atoms within a crystal.
Polarized: a property of certain electromagnetic radiations in which the direction and
magnitude of the vibrating electric field are related in a specific way. For example, plane
polarized light consists of waves that have the same direction of vibration.
Amplitude: the maximum displacement by a point on a wave measured from its
equilibrium position. It is equal to one-half the length of the vibration path.
Daniela Seczon

Frequency (): the number of waves that pass a fixed point per unit time.
Wavelength (): the distance that is travelled by a given wave in one cycle.
Wavenumber (1/) in cm-1: it is a unit of frequency equal to the true frequency divided
by the speed of light and thus equal to the number of waves in a unit distance, cm-1.
Quantized: a wave that is formed as a result of quantization process, the process of sub
dividing a continuous signal to discrete values. The wave becomes discrete values which
were actually taken from a continuous analogue signal.
Wavefunction: variable quantity that mathematically describes the wave characteristics
of a particle.
Overtones: a frequency of a sound which is a part of the harmonic series above a
fundamental frequency, which is the lowest normal frequency.
Power of radiation (P): time rate of delivering energy, expressible as the amount of
energy transferred (could also be work, W), divided by the time interval t. W/t.
Intensity of radiation (I): the rate of emitted energy from unit surface area through unit
solid angle.
Absorbance: the transfer of the energy of a wave to matter as the wave passes through it.
Interference: the net effect of the combination of two or more waves moving on
intersecting paths through a medium.
Constructive interference: when the two waves are of the same frequency and in phase,
and the wave amplitudes are reinforced.
Destructive interference: when two waves are out of phase and may completely cancel
each other out if they are out of phase by one-half period.
Diffraction: the spreading of waves around obstacles. Results from light wave passing
through a narrow aperture or across an edge.
Refraction: a change in direction of a wave passing form one medium to another caused
by its change in speed or other properties in different mediums.
Reflection: a change in the direction of propagation of a wave when it strikes the
boundary between different mediums. This is the throwing back (reflecting) light when it
hits a surface and it is not fully absorbed.
Refractive index: a measure of the bending of a ray of light when passing from one
medium to another.
Daniela Seczon

Dispersion: any phenomenon associated with the propagation of individual waves at

speeds that depend on their wavelengths. Sometimes called the separation of light in
colors.

Definitions from:
Encyclopedia Britannica
Engineering Glossary-Farnell

https://uk.farnell.com/n-type-semiconductor-definition
Daniela Seczon

https://uk.farnell.com/p-type-semiconductor-definition
https://uk.farnell.com/semiconductor-definition
https://uk.farnell.com/negative-bias-definition
https://uk.farnell.com/forward-bias-definition
https://uk.farnell.com/diode-definition
https://uk.farnell.com/quantize-definition
https://uk.farnell.com/quantized-wave-definition
https://uk.farnell.com/wavelength-definition
https://www.physics-and-radio-electronics.com/electronic-devices-and-
circuits/semiconductor-diodes/depletion-region.html
https://www.britannica.com/science/Pauli-exclusion-principle
https://www.britannica.com/science/phonon
https://www.britannica.com/science/polarization-physics
https://www.britannica.com/science/amplitude-physics
https://www.britannica.com/science/frequency-physics
https://www.britannica.com/science/wave-function
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/overtone
https://www.taftan.com/thermodynamics/INTENRAD.HTM
https://www.britannica.com/science/absorption-physics
https://www.britannica.com/science/interference-physics
https://www.britannica.com/science/diffraction
https://www.britannica.com/science/refraction
https://www.britannica.com/science/reflection-physics
https://www.britannica.com/science/refractive-index
https://www.britannica.com/science/dispersion-physics
https://www.britannica.com/science/power-physics
https://www.britannica.com/science/wave-number