P Type Semiconductors
Semiconductors are called semiconductors because, quite frankly, they conduct electricity ... except they are not particularly good at it. In other words, semiconductors conduct electricity at one time and do not conduct at another time. In fact, the word 'semiconductor' means 'half-conductive substance.' It is a man-made material that can be made to conduct electricity when necessary, and the various types of semiconductors all conduct electricity in various ways. Semiconductors are widely used in today's world of electronic gadgets because they permit these devices to have proper control over the flow of electrical currents. Semiconductors are categorized in several different ways, and one of the types of classifications of semiconductors is divided into two categories, namely intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic semiconductors are chemically pure, in that they contain nothing but semiconductive material. Extrinsic semiconductors, on the other hand, contain added impurities, or 'doping agents,' which change their electric behavior when necessary. They are considered improved semiconductors, and because of this, they are widely used in just about every piece of electronics equipment there is. P-type, or 'positive type,' belongs to the category of extrinsic semiconductors.
History
The history of semiconductors began, as most discoveries, with experiments. These experiments were conducted on the electrical properties of certain substances and materials. The properties of such things in the world of electricity as light sensitivity began back in the early part of the 19th century. Michael Faraday, an English scientist known for his significant contributions to the field of electromagnetism, reported in 1833 that the resistance of specimens of silver sulfide decreases when heat is added, which is antithetical to the behavior of metal substances such as copper. His observations became known as the 'semiconductor effect.' Subsequently, in 1839, French physicist Edmond Becquerel announced his understanding of the photovoltaic effect, which is the creation of electrical current in certain materials when exposed to light. These observations contributed to the inventions of semiconductors as a means of controlling electricity in various electrical devices by their semiconductive properties.
How they work
P-type semiconductors are not pure semiconductors. They have been 'doped,' meaning they have had impurities added in order to make their conductive properties even more controllable. P-type semiconductors typically have had substances such as aluminum, gallium, or boron added, which leave their semiconductors with a positive charge, hence the name 'p-type,' or positive type.
Extrinsic semiconductors with a larger concentration of electrons than concentrations of holes (which, in essence, is the absence of electrons) are n-type, meaning they have a negative charge of the electron. In n-type, the majority carriers (a charge carrier is a particle free to move) are electrons and the minority carriers are holes. In the conduction band (which quantifies the range of energy required to free an electron from its bond to an atom) of an n-type semiconductor, electrons are the majority charge carrier. However, in the conduction band of a p-type semiconductor, holes are the majority carrier while electrons are the minority carriers. P-type semiconductors have a larger concentration of holes than of electrons. This means they have a positive charge of the hole.
Extrinsic semiconductors such as p-type semiconductors are used today in many types of electric and electronic equipment. Semiconductors caused a revolution in the world of electronics, allowing people to communicate, transmit information, and better process data without having to use bulky and expensive vacuum tubes, as in previous devices. P-type semiconductors have become vital to the field of electronics. They are used today in every type of electronic equipment and device that uses an integrated circuit.
Semiconductors are little miracles of electronics. They rein in undisciplined flow of electricity and allow modern electronic devices to, in essence, have a bit of control over nature itself. Semiconductors are used every single minute of every single day by a billion people worldwide in literally billions of individual modern conveniences. P-type semiconductors improve the flow of electricity in their respective electronic devices, making them work much more soundly. You might even say that p-type semiconductors are the backbone of every electronic device used in the world today.
History
The history of semiconductors began, as most discoveries, with experiments. These experiments were conducted on the electrical properties of certain substances and materials. The properties of such things in the world of electricity as light sensitivity began back in the early part of the 19th century. Michael Faraday, an English scientist known for his significant contributions to the field of electromagnetism, reported in 1833 that the resistance of specimens of silver sulfide decreases when heat is added, which is antithetical to the behavior of metal substances such as copper. His observations became known as the 'semiconductor effect.' Subsequently, in 1839, French physicist Edmond Becquerel announced his understanding of the photovoltaic effect, which is the creation of electrical current in certain materials when exposed to light. These observations contributed to the inventions of semiconductors as a means of controlling electricity in various electrical devices by their semiconductive properties.
How they work
P-type semiconductors are not pure semiconductors. They have been 'doped,' meaning they have had impurities added in order to make their conductive properties even more controllable. P-type semiconductors typically have had substances such as aluminum, gallium, or boron added, which leave their semiconductors with a positive charge, hence the name 'p-type,' or positive type.
Extrinsic semiconductors with a larger concentration of electrons than concentrations of holes (which, in essence, is the absence of electrons) are n-type, meaning they have a negative charge of the electron. In n-type, the majority carriers (a charge carrier is a particle free to move) are electrons and the minority carriers are holes. In the conduction band (which quantifies the range of energy required to free an electron from its bond to an atom) of an n-type semiconductor, electrons are the majority charge carrier. However, in the conduction band of a p-type semiconductor, holes are the majority carrier while electrons are the minority carriers. P-type semiconductors have a larger concentration of holes than of electrons. This means they have a positive charge of the hole.
Extrinsic semiconductors such as p-type semiconductors are used today in many types of electric and electronic equipment. Semiconductors caused a revolution in the world of electronics, allowing people to communicate, transmit information, and better process data without having to use bulky and expensive vacuum tubes, as in previous devices. P-type semiconductors have become vital to the field of electronics. They are used today in every type of electronic equipment and device that uses an integrated circuit.
Semiconductors are little miracles of electronics. They rein in undisciplined flow of electricity and allow modern electronic devices to, in essence, have a bit of control over nature itself. Semiconductors are used every single minute of every single day by a billion people worldwide in literally billions of individual modern conveniences. P-type semiconductors improve the flow of electricity in their respective electronic devices, making them work much more soundly. You might even say that p-type semiconductors are the backbone of every electronic device used in the world today.