Question

Holes are being steadily injected into a region of n-type silicon. What is the process called?

1) Doping
2) Ionization
3) Excitation
4) Conduction

Answer 1

The process of injecting holes into n-type silicon is called doping, which introduces acceptor impurities, creating mobile holes and converting the silicon into p-type. So the correct answer is option number 1.

Step-by-step explanation:

When holes are being steadily injected into a region of n-type silicon, the process is known as doping (the correct answer is option number 1). Doping involves adding impurities to a semiconductor to change its electrical properties. In the case of n-type silicon, doping can introduce acceptor impurities, such as aluminum with three valence electrons. The doping creates additional empty electron states just above the valence band. When an electron fills these states, a mobile hole is created in the valence band, which is essential for the conductivity. This action turns n-type silicon into what is called p-type silicon, characterized by the presence of holes as the majority charge carriers.