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Chapter 10: Problem 18

The conductivity of silicon is enhanced by doping. What is doping?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Doping is the process of adding impurity atoms (dopants) to a semiconductor material, such as silicon, to modulate its electrical properties and enhance its conductivity. N-type dopants, with more valence electrons than the semiconductor atoms, provide free electrons, while P-type dopants, with fewer valence electrons, create holes. These extra charge carriers allow electric current to flow more easily through the silicon material.

Step by step solution

01

Define Doping

Doping is the process of adding impurity atoms into a semiconductor material, such as silicon, to modulate its electrical properties. These impurity atoms, called dopants, can either be elements with more valence electrons than the semiconductor atoms (N-type dopants) or those with fewer valence electrons (P-type dopants). This process increases the conductivity of the semiconductor by creating more charge carriers (electrons or holes) that are available for electrical conduction.
02

Explain N-type Dopants

N-type dopants are elements that have more valence electrons than the semiconductor atoms. In the case of silicon, which has four valence electrons, elements like phosphorus or arsenic from group V of the periodic table have five valence electrons. When these elements are added, the additional electron is loosely bound to the dopant atom and can easily become free to move around in the silicon lattice. This extra electron is a negative charge carrier that increases the conductivity of the silicon, hence the name N-type (negative-type) dopants.
03

Explain P-type Dopants

P-type dopants are elements that have fewer valence electrons than the semiconductor atoms. Using silicon as an example again, elements like boron or aluminum from group III of the periodic table have three valence electrons. When these elements are added to silicon, they form a stable bond with surrounding silicon atoms. However, there is a missing electron (or a hole) in the lattice that can easily accept an electron from a neighboring silicon atom, creating a vacancy that can then move around in the material. This forms a positive charge carrier that increases the conductivity of the silicon, hence the name P-type (positive-type) dopants.
04

Explain Enhancement of Silicon Conductivity by Doping

Doping enhances the conductivity of silicon by increasing the number of free charge carriers available for electrical conduction. N-type dopants provide free electrons, while P-type dopants create holes. These extra carriers allow electric current to flow more easily through the silicon material, which can be used to create various electronic devices like transistors, diodes, and integrated circuits. In summary, doping is the process of adding impurity atoms to a semiconductor material to increase its conductivity. N-type and P-type dopants each create different types of charge carriers that contribute to the enhanced conductivity of silicon.

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