Ultrasound technicians may expect to perform some of their work in rooms with low lighting. They can expect to be on their feet for a majority of their work time, and must be able to do some lifting or turning of patients who require assistance.
semiconductor diode A diode made of semiconductor components, usually silicon. The cathode, which is negatively charged and has an excess of electrons, is placed adjacent to the anode, which has an inherently positive charge, carrying an excess of holes. At this junction a depletion region forms, with neither holes nor electrons.
Diodes are one of the simplest, but most useful of all semiconductor devices. Many types of diode are used for a wide range of applications. Rectifier diodes are a vital component in power supplies where they are used to convert AC mains (line) voltage to DC. Zener diodes are used for voltage stabilisation, preventing unwanted variations in DC supplies within a circuit, and to supply accurate reference voltages for many circuits.