On semiconductors: how they are made, used and who manufactures them

Contact Counsellor

Last Updated27/03/2024

Semiconductors represent a distinct class of materials that possess some of the electrical properties of both conductors and insulators.
Like a faucet which can be used to control the flow of water, semiconductors can be used to control the flow of electric currents, and with exquisite precision.

The most important type of semiconductor is the transistor.
At the dawn of the era of modern electronics, the first integrated circuits featured four transistors.

Smartphones and computers showcase the pinnacle of semiconductor technology but semiconductors influence nearly every facet of our lives.
Semiconductors also power ‘smart’ air-conditioners’ ability to regulate the temperature as well as space telescopes’
- Ability to capture both awe-inspiring and scientifically interesting images in the depths of the universe, and many other technologies in between.
Many of the solutions to the 21st century’s most important crises - including artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, space exploration, robotics, personalised healthcare, and environmental monitoring
Such semiconductor technology facilities foster innovation, create high-paying jobs, nurture the potential for deep-tech start-ups
- And both draw from and feed into advances in materials science, computer engineering, big data, optics, chemical engineering, and chip design, to name a few.
Owing to their role in sectors like defence and automotives, semiconductors have also emerged as a focal point of geopolitical interest
India, meanwhile, has been trying to use its expertise in design to establish semiconductor manufacturing plants.
One hopes this strategic push plus the potential of our youth will translate to numerous opportunities for the country to seize the international semiconductor industry.