threshold switch

threshold switch

[′thresh‚hōld ‚swich] (electronics) A voltage-sensitive alternating-current switch made from a semiconductor material deposited on a metal substrate; when the alternating-current voltage acting on the switch is increased above the threshold value, the number of free carriers present in the semiconductor material increases suddenly, and the switch changes from a high resistance of about 10 megohms to a low resistance of less than 1 ohm; in other versions of this switch, the threshold voltage is controlled by heat, pressure, light, or moisture.