I. Прочитайте текст, используя пояснения к тексту. Выполните упражнения к тексту. Semiconductor

1. A semiconductor is a solidwhoseelectrical conductivitycan be controlled over a wide range, either permanently or dynamically. Semiconductors are tremendously important technologically and economically. Semiconductors are essential materials in all modern electrical devices, from computerstocellular phonestodigital audio players.Siliconis the most commercially important semiconductor.

2. Semiconductors are very similar to insulators. The two categories of solids differ only in that insulators have largerband gapsenergiesthatelectronsmust acquire to be free to flow. In semiconductors at room temperature, just as in insulators, very few electrons gain enough thermal energy to leap the band gap, which is necessary forconduction. For this reason, pure semiconductors and insulators, in the absence of applied fields, have roughly identical electrical properties. The smaller band gaps of semiconductors, however, allow for many other means besidestemperatureto control their electrical properties.

3. Semiconductors' intrinsic electrical properties are very often permanently modified by introducing impurities, in a process known as doping. Upon the addition of a sufficiently large proportion of dopants, semiconductors conductelectricitynearly as well asmetals.

4. In certain semiconductors, when electrons fall from the conduction band to the valence band (the energy levels above and below the band gap), they often emitlight. Thisphotoemissionprocess underlies thelight emitting diode(LED) and thesemiconductor laser, both of which are tremendously important commercially. Conversely, semiconductor absorption of light inphotodetectorsexcites electrons from the valence band to the conduction band, facilitating reception offiber optic communications, and providing the basis forenergyfromsolar cells.

5. Semiconductors may be elemental materials, such as silicon,compound semiconductors such as gallium arsenide, or alloys, such assilicon germaniumoraluminium gallium arsenide.

Notes:

semiconductor	полупроводник
silicon	кремний
insulator	диэлектрик
band gap	запрещенная зона
impurity	примесь
light-emitting diode	светодиод

II. Укажите какие из данных утверждений соответствуют содержанию текста.

1. A semiconductor is a liquid which electric conductivity can’t be controlled.

2. A semiconductor possesses the same properties as insulators.

3. Electric properties of semiconductors can’t be modified by anything.

4. Electric properties of semiconductors are modified by applying electric fields and doping.

5. Some semiconductors can emit light.

III. Выберите правильные ответы на вопросы.

1. What is a semiconductor?

   1. a gas;

   2. a solid;

   3. a liquid.

2. How are semiconductors’ intrinsic electrical properties modified?

   1. by doping;

   2. by oxidation;

   3. by etching.

3. What materials represent semiconductors?

   1. elemental materials;

   2. alloys;

   3. elemental materials, compound semiconductors or alloys.