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General Science • PhysicsMedium

What type of semiconductor is formed when silicon is doped with an impurity from Group 15 of the periodic table, such as phosphorus or arsenic?

A. p-type semiconductor
B. n-type semiconductor✓ Correct Answer
C. Intrinsic semiconductor
D. Direct bandgap semiconductor

💡 Solution & Explanation

An n-type semiconductor is created by introducing a pentavalent impurity from Group 15 of the periodic table, such as phosphorus or arsenic, into an intrinsic silicon lattice belonging to Group 14. Distractors like the p-type semiconductor involve trivalent dopants from Group 13 that create electron deficiencies known as holes. These extrinsic semiconductor materials form the fundamental building blocks of modern electronic diodes and transistors.

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