Question

Which of the following, when added as an impurity, into the silicon, produces n-type semiconductor?

(a) Phosphorous

(b) Aluminum

(c) Magnesium

(d) Sulfur

The question was asked in unit test.

This interesting question is from Extrinsic Semiconductor in portion Semiconductor Electronics : Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits of Physics – Class 12

Answer 1

The correct answer is (a) Phosphorous

Best explanation: As phosphorous is pentavalent, it produces n-type semiconductor when added to silicon. They are called donor impurities. By adding phosphorus, extra valence electrons are added that become unbonded from individual atoms.