Hello, readers welcome to the new post. In this post, we will discuss Difference Between Semiconductors and Superconductors. These two materials are conductive materials but have different levels of conductivity. The basic difference between these two materials is that the conductivity offered by the semiconductors lies between conductors’ and insulators’ conductivity and support conductors have conductivity larger than conductors.
Conductors are materials that can flow current through it. Semiconcits and superconductors are electrical conductors that have different conductivity. Here we will discuss different parameters that will help us to find differences. So let’s get started.
What is Semiconductors
- Semiconductors are a category of conductors that provide conductivity values between insulators and conductors. That means their conductivity is less than the conductor’s.
- They are crystalline solids used in different applications like diode transistor ICs. Normally conductive semiconductors have a sensitive nature to magnetic fields and impurities.
- Common examples of semiconductors are germanium, tin, selenium, and tellurium.
- Pure semiconductors do not have accurate conductivity but the addition of impurities to pure semiconductor material provides high conductivity.
- The type of semiconductor-based on impurity added are two. P and N semiconductors that are according to the addition of P elements from the periodic table group three and N are from group five.
- The addition of different types of impurities to two semiconductors comes with different types of majority and minority charge carriers.
- A certain energy gap exists between the conduction band valance band. The current flowing taking place majority carries must pass from the valence band to the conduction band. This energy level is called a bandgap
- Normally semiconductor has one crystal. Atoms are configured in three-dimensional patterns. Through considering silicon crystal every silicon atom has four silicon atoms bonded.
- Atoms consist of covalent chemical bonds. The energy gap for semiconductors lies between 0.25 and 2.5ev
What is a Superconductor?
- Superconductors are material that comes with conductive values larger than conductors. It has an element or compound structure that loses electrical resistance when gets cooled less than a certain temperature.
- So super conductors permit the flow of electrical energy without loss of energy. This energy flow is known as a supercurrent
- However, it is difficult to generate superconductors. The temperature at which this material loses resistance is known as critical temperature.
- The material that has less value than Tc or critical temperature can not be converted into superconductors.
- Superconductors are of two types type 1 and type 11. Type I superconductors material are conductors in nature at room temperature and converted into superconductors when get cooled less than Tc.
- Type II materials are not good conductors at from temperatures. Transform into superconductors when get cooled.
- The band gap of superconductors lies above 2.5eV
Difference Between Semiconductors and Superconductors
Semiconductors
- Conductivity is between that of conductors and insulators
- Become more conducive as temperature increases
- Commonly made of silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide
- Widely used in electronic devices such as computers and cell phones
- Electrons are excited from the valence to the conduction band to conduct electricity
- Have a bandgap that separates the valence and conduction bands
- Used to control the flow of electrons in electronic devices
- Can be doped to create an excess or deficiency of electrons
Superconductors
- Zero electrical resistance
- Conductivity only occurs at very low temperatures
- Commonly made of metals and metal alloys
- Do not have a bandgap
- Electrons form Cooper pairs and move without resistance
- Used in different applications such as medical imaging and transportation
- Cannot be doped
- Used to generate strong magnetic fields and in energy storage applications
- Semiconductors are material that has a conductivity between conducts and insulators; superconductors have conductivity larger than conductors.
- The band gap of the semiconductor lies between 0.25 to 2.5ev and for superconductors larger than 2.5ev
- Semcicnsutors examples are silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide.
- Examples of superconductors are Aluminum, niobium
Can a semiconductor become a superconductor?
- There is a need for electron gas to get superfluid such as condensation of electron pair that causes superconductivity
Why can’t we use superconductors?
- The superconductor materials needed high conditions for work that are not easy to obtain. So superconductor first needed to be cooled with liquid helium at a temperature some degrees more than absolute zero.
Is A Diamond A superconductor?
- Diamond is an insulator and is used due to its hardness features. It conducts heat in a proper way as compared to copper and handles high electric fields.
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