A transistor is a miniature semiconductor that regulates or controls current or voltage flow in addition amplifying and generating these electrical signals and acting as a switch/gate for them. Typically, transistors consist of three layers, or terminals, of a semiconductor material, each of which can carry a current.
A transistor can act as a switch or gate for electronic signals, opening and closing an electronic gate many times per second. It ensures the circuit is on if the current is flowing and switched off if it isn't. Transistors are used in complex switching circuits that comprise all modern telecommunications systems. Circuits also offer very high switching speeds, such as hundreds of gigahertz or more than 100 billion on-and-off cycles per second.
Transistors can be combined to form a logic gate, which compares multiple input currents to provide a different output. Computers with logic gates can make simple decisions using Boolean algebra. These techniques are the foundation of modern-day computing and computer programs.
Transistors also play an important role in amplifying electronic signals. For example, in radio applications, like FM receivers, where the received electrical signal may be weak due to disturbances, amplification is required to provide audible output. Transistors provide this amplification by increasing the signal strength.
