What is a semiconductor? An electrical engineer explains how these critical electronic components work and how they are made

A silicon disc, or 'wafer,' yields dozens of semiconductor chips. Steve Jurvetson/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

Semiconductors are a critical part of almost every modern electronic device, and the vast majority of semiconductors are made in Tawain. Increasing concerns over the reliance on Taiwain for semiconductors – especially given the tenuous relationship between Taiwan and China – led the U.S. Congress to pass the CHIPS and Science act in late July 2022. The act provides more than US$50 billion in subsidies to boost U.S. semiconductor production and has been widely covered in the news. Trevor Thornton, an electrical engineer who studies semiconductors, explains what these devices are and how they are made.

Thin, round slices of silicon crystals, called wafers, are the starting point for most semiconductor chips. Hebbe/Wikimedia Commons