When Arsenic is added as an impurity to Silicon the resulting material...
Introduction:
When impurities are added to a semiconductor material like silicon, it alters the electrical properties of the material. One of the commonly used impurities in silicon is arsenic (As). The addition of arsenic as an impurity to silicon results in the material becoming an n-type semiconductor.
Explanation:
1. N-type semiconductor:
When an impurity is added to a semiconductor material, it introduces extra electrons or "donor" atoms. In the case of arsenic, it acts as a donor, providing extra electrons to the silicon crystal lattice.
2. Arsenic as an impurity:
Arsenic has five valence electrons, one more than silicon. When it replaces a silicon atom in the crystal lattice, four of its valence electrons bond with the neighboring silicon atoms, forming covalent bonds. The fifth electron remains loosely bound to the arsenic atom.
3. Donor levels:
The fifth electron of the arsenic atom requires less energy to become free and participate in conduction. This loosely bound electron forms a donor level energy band just below the conduction band. It is easily excited to the conduction band by thermal energy, creating a free electron.
4. Electron concentration:
The addition of arsenic as an impurity increases the number of free electrons in the material. These free electrons are responsible for the conductivity of the material. As a result, the material becomes an n-type semiconductor with an excess of negatively charged electrons.
5. Majority carriers:
In an n-type semiconductor, electrons are the majority carriers, meaning they carry most of the current. This is because the concentration of free electrons is much higher compared to the concentration of "holes" (electron vacancies) in the valence band.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, when arsenic is added as an impurity to silicon, it acts as a donor by providing extra electrons to the crystal lattice. This increases the concentration of free electrons in the material, making it an n-type semiconductor, where electrons are the majority carriers.
To make sure you are not studying endlessly, EduRev has designed JEE study material, with Structured Courses, Videos, & Test Series. Plus get personalized analysis, doubt solving and improvement plans to achieve a great score in JEE.