22 Jun
2004
22 Jun
'04
11:52 p.m.
>>>> "John" == John Allain
<allain(a)panix.com> writes:
John> Strictly speaking, aren't gaseous and solid state devices both
John> semiconductors? They conduct electricity conditionally in both
John> cases.
Yes, but that's not what "semiconductor" means. Semiconductor
describes the material of which the device is built, not the device
action.
Semiconductors are things with a small positive bandgap, as opposed to
insulators, which have a large bandgap, and conductors, which have
none.
paul