N-type Semiconductor

The majority and minority charge carriers, the doping element, the nature of the doping element, the density of charge carriers, Fermi level, energy level, the dominant charge carriers’ movement of direction, and other factors make up p-type n-type semiconductor. A n type extrinsic semiconductor is generated when a small number of pentavalent impurities is added to a pure semiconductor, resulting in many free electrons. The free electrons represented by the pentavalent impurity atoms in the n-type semiconductor cause conduction. These are free electrons above the number needed to fill covalent bonds in semiconductors. Sb, P, Bi, and As are some n-type semiconductor examples. In their outer shell, these materials have five electrons.

What Is N-type Semiconductor

P-type and n-type semiconductors are examples of extrinsic semiconductors. Although a vacancy is generated in the broken link anytime, a free electron is created during the breakdown of a semiconductor-to-semiconductor covalent bond. Holes are the term for these voids. As a result of the loss of one electron, each of these holes is regarded as a positive equal to a negative electron. Electrons are the primary mobile charge carriers in this system. There will be both free electrons and holes in an n-type semiconductor.

However, holes are much lower than the number of electrons because holes are only created when the semiconductor-to-semiconductor covalent bond breaks. In contrast, free electrons are created by the loosely bound non-bonded fifth valence electron of impurity atoms and the breakdown of the semiconductor-to-semiconductor covalent bond.

Difference Between The p-type and n-type semiconductors

• The III group element of the periodic table is used as a doping element in p-type semiconductors, whereas the V group element is used in n-type semiconductors.
• In the p-type semiconductor, trivalent impurities such as Aluminium, Gallium, and Indium are introduced. Still, in the n-type semiconductor, pentavalent impurities such as Arsenic, Antimony, Phosphorus, Bismuth, and others are added.
• In a p-type semiconductor, an impurity adds extra holes, known as Acceptor atoms, whereas in an n-type semiconductor, an impurity adds extra electrons, known as Donor atoms.
• Most carriers in a p-type semiconductor are holes, while the minority carriers are electrons. Electrons are the majority carriers in an n-type semiconductor, while holes are the minority carriers.

Charge On The N-type Semiconductor

Many people believe that n-type semiconductors have a lot of free electrons. As a result, the n-type semiconductor’s total electric charge is negative. However, this assumption is incorrect. Even though an n-type semiconductor has many free electrons, these free electrons are provided by electrically neutral pentavalent atoms. As a result, the n-type semiconductor’s total electric charge is neutral.

Conduction In The N-type Semiconductor

When a voltage is applied to an n-type semiconductor, the free electrons migrate towards the applied voltage’s positive terminal. Similarly, holes travel away from the applied voltage’s negative terminal. The population of free electrons is higher in n-type semiconductors, while the population of holes is lower. As a result, in an n-type semiconductor, free electrons are referred to as majority carriers, whereas holes are considered minority carriers. As a result, in an n-type semiconductor, conduction is primarily due to free-electron motion.

Examples Of N-type Semiconductor

N-type semiconductor examples are silicon doped with arsenic, silicon doped with phosphorus, arsenic doped with Germanium, Germanium doped with phosphorus, and so on are n-type semiconductor examples. An intrinsic semiconductor material such as silicon (Si) contains 14 electrons in a 2,8,4 configuration, while Germanium (Ge) has 32 electrons in a 2,8,18,4 configuration. To be stable, each atom needs 8 electrons in its valence shell. As a result, intrinsic semiconductor atoms form covalent connections by sharing electrons with a neighboring atom to attain an atomic structural balance of 8 electrons.

An N-type semiconductor is made by doping a pentavalent impurity element like antimony into a new silicon crystal lattice (Sb). An atom of the pentavalent impurity element Antimony (Sb) is sandwiched between silicon atoms in an N-type semiconductor. The valence shell of silicon atoms has four electrons. Each silicon atom forms a covalent link with an electron of the impurity atom in question.

Only four silicon atoms establish covalent connections with the antimony (Sb) impurity element electron. In the crystal lattice, the fifth electron of the impurity atom is not linked to any semiconductor atom. This electron’s parent impurity atom is just loosely bound to it. So, these are n-type semiconductor examples.

Conclusion

P-type semiconductors are made by mixing in trivalent impurities, while N-type semiconductors mix in pentavalent impurities. This is also known as the distinction between electron donors and acceptors. The negative charge carriers grow when the number of free electrons increases due to the addition of an impurity. As a result, it’s known as an n-type semiconductor. The donor atom creates an immobile positive ion, although the crystal as a whole is neutral. When a pure semiconductor is doped with a trivalent impurity (B, Al, In, Ga), the impurity’s three valence electrons bond with three of the semiconductor’s four valence electrons. The article answers what is an n-type semiconductor with some n-type semiconductor examples.