Question
Physics Question on Semiconductor electronics: materials, devices and simple circuits
In a p-type semiconductor
electrons are minority carriers and pentavalent atoms are dopants
electrons are majority carries and pentavalent atoms are dopants
holes are majority carriers and trivalent atoms are dopants
holes are minority carriers and trivalent atoms are dopants
holes are majority carriers and trivalent atoms are dopants
Solution
A p-type semiconductor is created by introducing impurities, known as dopants, into an intrinsic (undoped) semiconductor material. These dopants have three valence electrons, such as boron (B), aluminum (Al), or gallium (Ga), which are trivalent atoms.
When these trivalent dopants are introduced into the semiconductor crystal lattice, they replace some of the regular atoms. However, as trivalent atoms have one fewer valence electron than the semiconductor atoms they replace, they create "holes" in the crystal lattice structure. These holes can be considered as positive charge carriers.
So, the correct option is (C) holes are majority carriers, and trivalent atoms are dopants.