CMOS

Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor.

A semiconductor fabrication technology using a combination of n- and p-doped semiconductor material to achieve low power dissipation. The idea is that any path through a gate through which current can flow includes both n and p type transistors. Only one type is turned on in any stable state so there is no static power dissipation and current only flows when a gates switches in order to charge the parasitic capacitance.

(21 Dec 1994)