What are the conductivity types of various substances in nature

In terms of their conductivity, various substances in nature can be divided into three categories: conductors, insulators, and semiconductors.

The conductivity of semiconductors is between that of conductors and insulators, such as silicon, germanium, etc. Their resistivity is usually between. The reason why semiconductors are widely used is that their conductivity is significantly affected by doping, temperature, and light exposure.

The resistivity of pure semiconductor single crystal silicon at room temperature is about. If a small amount of impurities (such as phosphorus) are added at a ratio of one millionth, its resistivity drops sharply, almost by one million times. The fundamental reason for the performance of semiconductors lies in the special atomic structure of semiconductors.