A **semiconductor** is a material that conducts electricity better than an insulator but not as well as a conductor. Its unique behavior comes from the way [[Electron|electrons]] can only occupy certain [[Energy Level|energy levels]], or energy bands. The gap between these bands, known as the _band gap_, determines when electrons can move freely and when they are stuck. This simple idea, grounded in [[Quantum Mechanics|quantum physics]], lets us control electrical current very precisely. By adding tiny amounts of other elements in a process called _doping_, we change how easily electrons can jump between energy bands. This control is what makes semiconductors ideal for creating _transistors_, which are the basic switches in all digital devices, from [[Classical Computer|computers]] to smartphones. Devices like LEDs, lasers, and solar panels also rely on these controlled movements of electrons. Silicon is the most widely used semiconductor, but new materials and designs are expanding what’s possible. Tiny structures called [[Platform - Quantum Dots|quantum dots]] can trap individual electrons, and semiconductors are also being used in modern [[Quantum Technologies|quantum technologies]], for example, to build [[Qubit|qubits]] for emerging [[Quantum Computer|quantum computers]]. >[!read]- Further Reading >- [[Electron]] >- [[Laser]] >- [[Condensed Matter Physics]] >[!ref]- References