Communications Technology Handbook, 2nd Edition

32 Semiconductor devices and technology

Without a semiconductor industry, which is still less than 50 years old, telecommunications as known today would not exist. Devices range from single discrete active or passive components such as diodes, transistors, resistors and capacitors, to highly complex integrated circuits (ICs) that can virtually represent systems on a single chip. The term transistor is derived from a contraction of transfer resistor which, to a limited extent, explains its operation. The manufacturing technology is likewise very wide-ranging and complex, both in the methods of fabrication and the materials used. Because contaminants are responsible for device inefficiencies and premature failures, a very high degree of material ...