What is the effect of doping a semiconductor with trivalent atoms?
Practice Questions
Q1
What is the effect of doping a semiconductor with trivalent atoms?
Creates n-type
Creates p-type
No effect
Increases resistance
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
What is the effect of doping a semiconductor with trivalent atoms?
Step 1: Understand what doping means. Doping is the process of adding impurities to a semiconductor to change its electrical properties.
Step 2: Know what trivalent atoms are. Trivalent atoms have three valence electrons, which means they can form three bonds with other atoms.
Step 3: Identify a common trivalent atom. An example of a trivalent atom is boron.
Step 4: Add trivalent atoms to the semiconductor. When you add trivalent atoms to a semiconductor (like silicon), they replace some of the silicon atoms.
Step 5: Understand what happens when trivalent atoms are added. Since trivalent atoms have only three electrons to bond, they create a 'hole' where an electron is missing.
Step 6: Recognize that these holes can move. The holes can accept electrons from neighboring atoms, allowing them to move through the material.
Step 7: Conclude that this process creates p-type semiconductors. The presence of holes makes the semiconductor positively charged, hence the name p-type.
