# Some Semiconductor Products and Components

| Here are tables listing products, components and services that need some amount of semiconductor technology (ST) in this module
|  | First let's look at obvious and not so obvious products and their components:
Product | Abbreviation | (Major) Components | Remarks
Personal computer | PC | Integrated circuits (IC) or "Chips" | There is much more ST inside a PC then just chips!
Almost anything with a battery inside or a power connection. (Cars, communication entertainment, satellites, MRT machines, ...) | World Economy | Integrated circuits (IC) or "Chips", optoelectronics | The major enabling business for nearly everything
Solar cells | Save the world | Cheap large-area semiconductors | See table below
Microsystems | MEMS | Si-based special chips | Axiomatic product: Air bag sensor, "DLP" in beamers
Diode Lasers |  | III-V compound Heterojunction | There is one in every DVD player.
Lights | Save the world, part 2 | III-V LED's | Will soon replace the old-fashioned light bulb.
Radio frequency identification device | RFID | Very cheap chip (organic semiconductor?), printed antenna | You may have one implanted soon.
LCD Flat panel displays | LCD OLED | transistor matrix plus "liquid crystals" or organic light emitting diodes) | First OLED's are on teh market
... | .... | .... | ....
|  | Here is a table detailing the product "Solar Cell" some more:
Product=Solar Cell | Remarks
--- | ---
"Bulk" Solar Cells
General definition | The light absorbing part is relatively thick (> 100 µm); no substrate for mechanical stability is needed. Nearly all solar cells on roof tops now (=2007) fall into this category; and they are practically always made from Si.
Single crystalline Si | Best Mass product in terms of solar cell efficiency (about 21 % by now)
"Multi"crystalline Si | Slightly worse and somewhat cheaper than single crystalline Si, but market leader
GaAs solar cell | Very good . And very expensive. Some space applications
Thin film Solar Cells
General definition | Typically (0.5 - 30) µm film on substrate.
Amorphous Si | The classic thin film cell; found in most small-scale applications (watches, pocket calculators, ...). Major performance problems even after > 20 a R&D
Nanocrsytalline Si | The solar cell of the future? Not yet in production
CuInxGa1-xSeyS1-y | So-called "CIGS" solar cells. Mass production has started.
CdTe | Some production; future unclear
Organic semiconductors | Max. efficiency at present (2007) around 5 %. We shall see.
Specialities
TiO2 plus .... | The so-called "Grätzel Cell". Sintered TiO2 nanoparticles coated with organic molecules absorb the light; carrier transport occurs via the TiO2 and a Redox electrolyte
Tandem cells | Several thin layers of semiconductor with different band gaps on top of each other. Very high efficiency and price.
Concentrator cells | "Small" high-efficiency cell mounted in the focus of a parabolic mirror. Saves on (expensive) semiconductor on the expense of mirror and positioning device, Only usable in countries with lots of direct sun light (not in S.-H.). Gets hot!

With frame

1.2.1 Motivation for the Conten

Pecularities of Hyperscripts

Pecularities of Hyperscripts

© H. Föll (Semiconductor Technology - Script)