A transistor is a key component in electronics, often used as a switch or to amplify a signal from a sensor. NPN (negative-positive-negative) transistors are the most used transistor. An illustration ...

Thyristors are a semiconductor device with an S-shaped current-voltage characteristic. They are a kind of managed keys with a state memory that are turned on when a control signal is applied to the ...

The four-layer diode was the key to William Shockley's plan to revolutionize AT&T's phone system. It was a great device in theory, but not in practice -- at least not at the time when Shockley wanted ...

A gate turn-off switch, also known as a gate-controlled switch (GCS) or gate turn-off thyristor (GTO), is similar to an SCR but can be turned off by a negative signal on the gate terminal. GTOs ...

Last month, we took a look at the origins of the word thyristor. So now we know where the word came from, but how did the actual device come about? This device changed our industry. It improved HVDC ...