COMPLEMENTARY METAL OXIDE SEMICONDUCTOR (CMOS) TECHNOLOGY

Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) Technology

Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) Technology

CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) is the semiconductor technology used in the transistors that are manufactured into most of today's computer microchips. Semiconductors are made of silicon and germanium, materials which "sort of" conduct electricity, but not enthusiastically. Areas of these materials that are "doped" by adding impurities become full-scale conductors of either extra electrons with a negative charge (N-type transistors) or of positive charge carriers (P-type transistors). In CMOS technology, both kinds of transistors are used in a complementary way to form a current gate that forms an effective means of electrical control. CMOS transistors use almost no power when not needed. As the current direction changes more rapidly, however, the transistors become hot. This characteristic tends to limit the speed at which microprocessors can operate.

Stands for "Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor." This technology is typically used in making transistors. The "complementary" part of the term unfortunately does not mean these semiconductors are free. Instead, it refers to how they produce either a positive or negative charge. Because CMOS-based transistors only use one charge at a time, they run efficiently, using up very little power. This is because the charges can stay in one state for a long period of time, allowing the transistor to use little or no power except when needed. Because of their wonderful efficiency, processors that use CMOS-based transistors can run at extremely high speeds without getting too hot and going up in flames. You may also find CMOS memory in your computer, which holds the date and time and other basic system settings. The low power consumption of CMOS allows the memory to be powered by a simple Lithium battery for many years.

CMOS is nothing but a complementary MOS transistors, designed with both N-MOS and P-MOS. CMOS technology, as the name implies, employs MOS transistors of both polarities, and PMOS and NMOS transistors are said to be “complementary” devices.

The phrase "metal-oxide-semiconductor" refers to the nature of the fabrication process used to build CMOS chips. The process creates field effect transistors with a metal gate electrode being placed on top of an oxide insulator, which in turn is seated on top of a semiconductor material. Both types of transistors are used in a complementary way to form a current gate that forms an effective means of electrical ...