Editing Karl Ferdinand Braun (section)

===Semiconductor===
In 1874, Braun discovered the asymmetric conduction properties of certain materials, which became the foundation for the point-contact rectifier. This discovery showed that certain metal-semiconductor junctions could conduct electricity more easily in one direction than the other, a crucial property for diodes.

His work with semiconductors led to the development of the first point-contact diode, often credited as a basic semiconductor device that allowed the rectification of alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC). This is important because it was one of the first real-world applications of semiconducting materials, paving the way for future semiconductor devices that would later evolve into modern diodes, transistors, and other semiconductor technology.

Braun's discoveries were instrumental in the early development of electronics and helped lay the groundwork for the semiconductor industry we know today.