Materials for Computing Devices

Flashcards about materials used in computing and communication devices.

What is Material Science?

The study of the properties of solid materials and how those properties are determined by a material’s composition and structure.

What fields does Material Science combine?

Solid-state physics, metallurgy, and chemistry.

What is the role of silicon in semiconductor technology?

It plays a crucial role in advanced technology.

What are the key properties of semiconductor crystals?

Repeating atomic structure, foundation for semiconductor devices, and alterable electrical properties through doping.

List uses of Semiconductor Crystals

Integrated Circuits, Transistors and Diodes, Solar Cells, Light-Emitting Diodes, Sensors

What is the role of Silicon Wafers?

Form the base for ICs

What is the use of photolithography on Silicon Wafers?

Transfers circuit patterns onto silicon during intricate processes.

What is a Silicon Wafer?

Thin, flat disk of crystalline silicon and a substrate for ICs

What are the steps in the manufacturing process of Silicon Wafers?

Slicing, Lapping, Etching, Polishing, Cleaning and inspection

What are the applications of Silicon Wafers?

Computing, Mobile Devices, Embedded Systems, Gaming Consoles, IoT Devices

Why is Silicon a dominant element in the semiconductor industry?

Cost-effectiveness and excellent properties

What are III-V Semiconductors?

Formed by combining elements from group III and group V of the periodic table, resulting in a crystal lattice structure with exceptional electronic characteristics.

What features do III-V Semiconductors offer?

Higher electron mobility, lower voltage operation, radiation hardness, and semi-insulating substrates for electronic applications

What is photoresist?

A light-sensitive material utilized in photolithography and photoengraving to create patterned coatings on surfaces.

What are the types of Photoresist?

Positive and Negative

What are the applications of Photoresist?

Micro contact printing, Printed circuit boards, Patterning and etching of substrates, Microelectronics

What do Electric connections facilitate?

The transfer of data between different components within a computing device

What are the types of connectors in electronics?

Automotive connectors, Micro connectors, screw terminals, Round connectors, PCB connectors, Coaxial connectors, RF connectors, Cable clamps

What advantages do electrical connections have?

Reliability, Efficiency, Flexibility

What disadvantages do electrical connections have?

Signal Degradation, Corrosion, Limited Bandwidth, Environmental Impact

List packaging material used for integrated circuits

Glass, Ceramic, Plastic

What is Photonics?

A branch of Physics and Technology that studies the control and detection of light particles, including photons and their interactions with various materials.

List some uses of Photonics in Computers

Optical Interconnects, Photonic Integrated Circuits, Quantum Computing

Mention advantages of photonic materials

High Speed and Bandwidth, High Precision, Security and Encryption, Photonics in Medicine

What is Optical Switching?

A technique that allows the transmission of an optical field through a device to switch between two or more possible states without compromising connectivity.

What importance does Optical Switching have?

Fast Signal Routing, Network Expansion and Integration, Reduced Latency, Efficient Power Consumption

What are the applications of Optical Switching?

Optical Cross-Connects (OXCs), Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) Systems, Routing and Switching Elements in Optical Packet Networks, Optical Amplifiers and Repeaters

Give examples of types of Optical Switches

Mechanical Switch, Electro Optic Switch, Magneto Optic Switch, Thermo Optic Switch, Acoustic Optic Switch

What does Optical Transmission enable in a Computer?

Fast network data transfer

How do PV cells convert solar energy?

Through the photovoltaic effect, using semiconductors to interact with Sun photons to generate an electric current.

What are the three important properties which PV material shows?

Electronic, Optical and Transport Properties

What does Transport properties refer to in a photovoltaic cell?

The movement of charge carriers (electrons and holes) within the semiconductor material of the cell.

What do Transport properties refer to?

Photo generation, Doping, Junctions, Excitation and Generation

What do Electronic properties refer to?

The characteristics of electron behaviour within photovoltaic materials

What is the role of doping?

Adding impurities to alter the electronic properties

How can you differentiate between N-type or P-type doping?

N-type materials have extra electrons, while P-type materials have electron deficiencies (holes).

Give examples of rechargeable Metal-Ion Batteries

Li+, Na+, Mg2+, Al3+ batteries and Zinc-based batteries

What are the key components of a Lithium batteries?

Cathode material, Anode material, Electrolyte, Separator

Where does Reduction and Oxidation reaction take place in a lithium-ion battery?

Reduction takes place at the cathode and oxidation takes place at the anode.

Mention some of the examples of Li Batteries

Lithium–air battery, Lithium ion manganese oxide battery, Lithium ion polymer battery Lithium iron phosphate battery and Lithium–sulfur battery

Mention some of the advantages that LIBs have over other batteries

Low Maintenance, Available in Various Sizes, High Energy Density, Self Discharge, High Voltage

Mention some of the applications of lithium ion batteries

Camera, GPS, Mobile ,Laptop, Tablet PC