Question

One among the following is doping material in p-type of semiconductor:
(A)Carbon
(B)Indium
(C)Arsenic
(D)Phosphorous

Answer 1

Hint: A semiconductor is a material whose conductivity lies in between that of an insulator and conductor. The conductivity of a semiconductor material can be increased in many ways and doping is one such way. Doping can be done in two ways-by adding a group 13 element or a group 15 element. A p type semiconductor is formed when the semiconductor is doped with an element of group 13. We need to identify the group 13 element from the given options.

Complete step by step answer:
Semiconductors can be doped with two different ways giving rise to two different groups of semiconductor materials called p type semiconductor and n type semiconductor.
P type semiconductor material is formed by doping an element from group 13 or p group element. On the other hand n type semiconductor is formed by doping an element of group 15 or n block element.
To identify which doping material is used as a p type semiconductor we need to know the p block elements.
The p block elements or group 13 elements are given as Aluminium, Boron, Gallium, Indium, and Thallium.
So out of the given option, Indium belongs to group 13, so when it is added to a semiconductor it turns into a p type semiconductor.

Hence the correct option is (B) Indium.

Additional Information:
The addition of a group 13 element to a semiconductor creates holes along the semiconductor element. A semiconductor without doping is called an intrinsic semiconductor. An n type semiconductor is formed when a group 15 element is added to an intrinsic semiconductor. The group 15 elements are Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Arsenic, Antimony and Bismuth.

Note:
A p type semiconductor is formed when an intrinsic semiconductor is doped with a group 13 element. Out of the options given, Carbon is a group 14 element, Arsenic and Phosphorus are group 15 elements, only Arsenic is left out as a group 13 element.