3-1) Semiconductors Flashcards
What is the name of the process by which impurities are intentionally added to semiconductor material?
Doping
What does the process of doping do?
Doping increases the conductivity of a semiconductor so that it is more comparable to a metal than an insulator. It is possible to increase the number of negative charge carriers within the semiconductor crystal lattice by doping with an electron donor like phosphorus.
What is another name for an “electron donor” in doped semiconductor material? What elements are used as electron donors to dope semiconductors? What does doping with electron donors accomplish?
N-type dopants. Elements include nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic and antimony. Electron donors create the presence of additional negative charge carriers in the form of additional loosely bonded electrons.
What is another name for an electron acceptor in doped semiconductor material? What is an example of an element used as an electron acceptor? What does adding electron acceptor material in a semiconductor accomplish?
P-type material. Boron. Electron acceptor material serve as positive charge carriers, or electron “holes” in the material because they are missing a strongly bonded electron.
Describe the properties of N-type semiconductor material
N-type semiconductor is doped with a prevalent impurity to create free electrons. Free electrons are very similar to the properties of continuity as those free valence electrons of a conductor. The major difference is that we can control exactly when current is allowed to flow. N-type material is a conductive element and the electron is the major carrier.
Describe the properties of P-type semiconductor material
P-type semiconductor material is doped with trivalent impurity. It has an abundance of free holes. These free holes act as positive charge carriers. P-type material is conductive and the “holes” formed by “missing” electrons are the majority carrier.
Which “type” of semiconductor material contains negative charge carriers in the form of free electrons?
N-Type
Which “type” of semiconductor material contains positive charge carriers in the form of electron holes?
P-Type
What is the name of the location where P-Type and N-Type material are bonded?
Junction
N-type material: cathode or anode?
Cathode
P-type material: cathode or anode?
Anode
What term describes the condition where P-type holes are filled and current can flow through the junction?
Forward bias
What level of resistance is present in the P-N Junction when a diode is forward biased?
Low
What level of resistance is present in the P-N Junction when a diode is reverse biased?
High
What term describes the condition where a negative charge is applied to P-type material and no current can flow through the diode?
Reverse bias
