08/07/2025
What does each actually do?
Youโve heard about semiconductors. Maybe you've read "a shortage of semiconductors will disrupt the production of all products" or seen the "race for semiconductor technologyโ, or heard terms like "HBM" or "Advanced Packaging" in daily news. But you might be wondering... what does semiconductor actually do? And how could they actually affect our life?
In the next five posts, we'll introduce "What are semiconductors anyway?" and provide a simple explanation of representative semiconductors like "CMOS image sensors, NAND, DRAM, and Logic." Letโs embark on this adventure to learn basics about semiconductors together!
Weโll start with "What is a semiconductor?" So, let's get started!
โผ What exactly is a semiconductor?
A semiconductor is the brain and eyes of electronic devices and is essential. A semiconductor is a material that conducts electricity only "half" as much. Metals, which conduct electricity well, are called "conductors," while rubber, which hardly conducts electricity, is referred to as "insulators" or "non-conductors." Semiconductors fall in between.
โผ Semiconductors manipulate electrical signals with switch functions
Semiconductors have a switch-like function, allowing them to conduct electricity under certain conditions while not conducting under others. This characteristic is invaluable for storing and processing electronic information, such as data.
When in the OFF state, electricity is cut off, representing a "0."
In the ON state, electricity flows, representing a "1."
Semiconductors utilize the ON/OFF states of electrical signals to process and store all digital information through combinations of 0s and 1s.
From AI, GPUs, and cars to computers, smartphones, and data centers, semiconductors enable all kinds of technology, and at their core, they operate on this mechanism. Itโs an incredible system, isnโt it?
In the video, how semiconductors process digital information using ON/OFF states is depicted, so please enjoy!
โผ How does the world look when you feel closer to semiconductors?
In today's world, where various technologies are becoming pervasive, we can realize that society, the economy, and the future are more deeply connected to semiconductors than we imagine. Daily news might bring a different perspective since youโve noticed the semiconductors is everywhere around you.
If thereโs anything more youโd like to know or any useful information about semiconductors, please feel free to share in the comments!
Next time, we will introduce a semiconductor called the CMOS Image Sensor.
