A conductor is an object or a material that allows the flow of electric current in one or more direction. Metals like Iron, Copper and Aluminium are good conductors.
A semi conductor is a solid substance that has electrical conductivity between a conductor and an insulator. This property makes it suitable for the control of electric current. 
Conductor vs Semi Conductor
Conductor vs Semiconductor
Conductor
Semiconductor
Always allows the flow of electric current. Substances that requires only a small potential difference across them to cause a current flow
Under some conditions, semiconductors allow the flow of electric current and at some other conditions will not conduct electricity. Conductivity is moderate  between a conductor and an insulator
Good conductors has large number of free electrons
Semi conductors  has low number of free electrons
The conductivity is based on the free electrons due to metal bonding
The conductivity is based on the free electrons and holes
The outer electron in the atom can be easily removed with a small potential difference applied
More energy or potential difference is needed to remove the outer electron in the atom in a semi conductor
The electrical conductivity of a conductor decreases with increase in temperature because the rise in temperature increases the collision of electrons that disturbs its free flow.
In semi-conductor, conductivity increases with increase in temperature as the number of free  electrons increases with rise in temperature
Conductor is a material with low resistivity
Semi conductor has resistivity lying between a conductor and an insulator
Resistivity increases with increase in temperature
Resistivity decreases with increase in temperature
They have positive coefficient of resistance*
They have negative coefficient of resistance
In conductors, the conduction band is partially filled or it overlaps with the valence band
In semi conductors, the energy gap is small, at room temperature, some electrons has the energy to jump the gap and enter the conduction band
The energy gap is zero or very small
The energy gap is small. It is more than conductors and less than insulators
They will not behave as an insulator at any temperature. At 0 K, it behaves as superconductor
Pure semi-conductors become insulators at absolute zero (0 K) as there are no free electrons.
Mixing of impurities causes increase in resistance and decrease in conductivity
Mixing of impurities causes decrease in resistance and increase in conductivity
Example of Conductors: Silver, Copper, Aluminium
Example of Semi conductors: Silicon, Germanium, Gallium
*The resistance-change factor per degree Celsius of temperature change is called the temperature coefficient of resistance.

1 Comments

We Love to hear from U :) Leave us a Comment to improve this site
Thanks for Visiting.....

  1. what about existing of electrons in the conduction band, is existing in semiconductor ?

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

We Love to hear from U :) Leave us a Comment to improve this site
Thanks for Visiting.....

Previous Post Next Post