Semiconductors Flashcards
(23 cards)
Diode
Components that allows current to only flow in one direction; commonly used in power supplies to convert AC to DC; diode itself is a tiny ‘chip’ of silicon, also called a ‘die’
Rectifier Bridge
Four silicon diodes connected into a bridge arrangement that converts AC to DC
Transistor
A semiconductor device that allows one electrical signal to control another; commonly used to amplify signals or as logical switches
Active Components
The semiconductor devices that consist of semiconductor materials; they supply electric power or power gain in a circuit
Integrated Circuit (IC)
A circuit made with many subcomponents fabricated together on a single piece of silicon
Voltage Regulator
Takes voltage within some range as an input and provides a fixed, stable output at a lower voltage
Dual In-Line Package (DIP) ICs
Classic package for ICs with a larger number of connecting leads
Microcontroller
A simple, slow computer on a chip; the electronic brain inside many devices
Small Outline Integrated Circuit (SOIC)
Smaller, more space-efficient mount package than DIPs
Thin Quad Flat Pack (TQFP)
Style of surface-mount chip with leads on all four sides; quite thin
Ball Grid Array (BGA)
Saves space by having connectors under package, rather than sides
Redistribution Layer (RDL)
Thin two-layer printed circuit board that’s embedded into a chip’s package
System on a Chip (SoC)
High-end microprocessor
Microvias
Laser-drilled passages
LED
Light-Emitting Diode; die isn’t silicon, but a tailored semiconductor that emits the desired colour of light when active
Bicolour LED
Two Leads and two different LED dies, connected in parallel with bond wires, to produce different colours of light based on direction of current flow
Photodiode
Sensitive light detector that measures the amount of laser output
Optocoupler
Converts an electrical signal to light then back again; transfers electrical signals between two isolated circuits using light
Phototransistor
Light sensor that converts the LED’s light back to an electrical signal
Optical Tilt Sensor
Used in early-gen digital cameras to determine camera orientation when taking a picture
Optical Encoder
Measures the device’s change in position as you move it around (ex. computer mice)
Ambient Light Sensor
Sits between the camera and LED flash on a smartphone; measures the amount of light, so the phone can sense and compensate for the colour temperature of a photographic scene; also allows the phone to adjust the screen’s display colour and brightness depending on its surroundings
Image Sensor
Converts a two-dimensional image into an electrical signal
