1833, the British scientist Faraday, the father of electronics, first discovered that the resistance of silver sulfide varies with temperature, which is different from that of ordinary metals. Generally speaking, the resistance of metal increases with the increase of temperature, but Faraday found that the resistance of silver sulfide material decreases with the increase of temperature. This is the first time that a semiconductor phenomenon has been discovered.

Soon, in 1839, Becker discovered that the junction formed by the contact of semiconductor and electrolyte would generate voltage under illumination, which was later called photovoltaic effect, which was the second characteristic of semiconductor discovered.

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Applications of semiconductors:

The earliest practical "semiconductor" was "transistor)/diode".

1, used as "signal amplifier/rectifier" in radio and television.

2. Develop "solar power generation" and use it in "solar cells".

3. Semiconductors can be used to measure temperature, and the temperature measuring range can reach 70% in the fields of production, life, medical treatment, scientific research and teaching, with high accuracy and stability. The resolution can reach 0. 1℃, or even 0.0 1℃. The linearity is 0.2%, and the temperature measurement range is-100+.

4. The development of semiconductor refrigerators, also known as thermoelectric refrigerators or temperature difference refrigerators, adopts the Peltier effect.

Reference source-semiconductor