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semiconducting material

semiconducting material

4.7
A solid that conducts electricity more when warm or when it has small amounts of other elements
  • noun
  • /ˌsɛmɪkənˈdʌktɪŋ məˈtɪriəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : material semiconductor
  • Engineers are exploring new semiconducting materials that can enhance the efficiency of photovoltaic cells.

Examples

  • Silicon is a widely-used semiconducting material in the production of computer chips and electronic circuits.

  • This is the semiconducting material at the heart of a new generation of solar cells that promise to be up to twice as efficient as conventional designs.

    Blog text (34)
  • A review of the possible theories was given in 11, where the theory of the penetration of the field into a semiconducting material of the corresponding carbon phase of the emitter is also proposed.

    Academic text (2018)
  • They work by using two dissimilar semiconducting materials along with a temperature difference to create an electromotive force, which then generates power.

    Blog text (29)
  • When heated, certain semiconducting materials can conduct electricity more effectively, making them ideal for various applications.

Synonyms

semiconductor
vssemiconducting material
  • Specialized
35 5.6

A material like silicon that partly lets electricity pass and is used in electronic devices

focuses on conductivity that rises with temperature and added impurities

Antonyms

conductor
  • Specialized
14 3.9

A material that lets electricity, heat, or sound pass through easily

insulator
  • Specialized
5 4.7

A material like glass that does not let electricity or heat pass through

How Conductive

superconductor
  • Specialized
10 6.4
metal
840 1.1
conductor
  • Specialized
14 3.9
semiconducting material
  • Specialized
4.7
insulator
  • Specialized
5 4.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

semiconducting + material

The noun phrase literally combines the adjective 'semiconducting' (having the properties of a semiconductor) with 'material' (a substance), so its meaning — a material that is semiconducting — is directly compositional. This follows a common adjective + noun pattern and is cross-linguistically transparent, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.

Etymology

The noun semiconducting material comes from the parts semi meaning 'partly' and conducting meaning 'carrying electricity'. Think of it as a gate that opens only sometimes: it 'lets electricity pass' more when warm or when little bits of other material are added, so it sits 'between' a metal that 'lets electricity pass' and an insulator that 'does not'.