Where does the labelling of extrinsic semiconductors as “n” and “p” come from?
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The naming of doped semiconductors as "n-type" (for donor-doped) and "p-type" (for acceptor-doped) is ubiquitous. But I am having a hard time digging up where this naming tradition comes from and how it has come to be so widely accepted. From my perspective, there is nothing intuitive about this choice of notation. Henceforth the question:
Where does the tradition of labelling donor-doped extrinsic semiconductors as "n" and acceptor-doped as "p" come from?
semiconductor-physics history
asked 8 hours ago
Ignat InsarovIgnat Insarov
1092
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add a comment |
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The naming of doped semiconductors as "n-type" (for donor-doped) and "p-type" (for acceptor-doped) is ubiquitous. But I am having a hard time digging up where this naming tradition comes from and how it has come to be so widely accepted. From my perspective, there is nothing intuitive about this choice of notation. Henceforth the question:
Where does the tradition of labelling donor-doped extrinsic semiconductors as "n" and acceptor-doped as "p" come from?
semiconductor-physics history
asked 8 hours ago
Ignat InsarovIgnat Insarov
1092
New contributor
Ignat Insarov is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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Simple - n for negative, p for positive
$endgroup$
– Nilay Ghosh
7 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
The naming of doped semiconductors as "n-type" (for donor-doped) and "p-type" (for acceptor-doped) is ubiquitous. But I am having a hard time digging up where this naming tradition comes from and how it has come to be so widely accepted. From my perspective, there is nothing intuitive about this choice of notation. Henceforth the question:
Where does the tradition of labelling donor-doped extrinsic semiconductors as "n" and acceptor-doped as "p" come from?
semiconductor-physics history
asked 8 hours ago
Ignat InsarovIgnat Insarov
1092
New contributor
Ignat Insarov is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$endgroup$
The naming of doped semiconductors as "n-type" (for donor-doped) and "p-type" (for acceptor-doped) is ubiquitous. But I am having a hard time digging up where this naming tradition comes from and how it has come to be so widely accepted. From my perspective, there is nothing intuitive about this choice of notation. Henceforth the question:
Where does the tradition of labelling donor-doped extrinsic semiconductors as "n" and acceptor-doped as "p" come from?
semiconductor-physics history
semiconductor-physics history
asked 8 hours ago
Ignat InsarovIgnat Insarov
1092
New contributor
Ignat Insarov is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 8 hours ago
Ignat InsarovIgnat Insarov
1092
New contributor
Ignat Insarov is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 8 hours ago
Ignat InsarovIgnat Insarov
1092
New contributor
Ignat Insarov is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 8 hours ago
Ignat InsarovIgnat Insarov
1092
asked 8 hours ago
Ignat InsarovIgnat Insarov
1092
1092
New contributor
Ignat Insarov is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Ignat Insarov is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Ignat Insarov is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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Simple - n for negative, p for positive
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– Nilay Ghosh
7 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Simple - n for negative, p for positive
$endgroup$
– Nilay Ghosh
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
Simple - n for negative, p for positive
$endgroup$
– Nilay Ghosh
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
Simple - n for negative, p for positive
$endgroup$
– Nilay Ghosh
7 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
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For semiconductors, n-type mainly refers to Negative electrons which are the major charge carriers, whereas p-type refers to Positive, indicating holes which are the majority charge carriers (in this case), and can be thought of as positive.
In short, it tells us about the majority charge carriers in a particular type of semiconductor.
answered 8 hours ago
EagleEagle
3811217
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add a comment |
$begingroup$
I want to supplement Eagle's answer.
Long before people deliberately doped semiconductors, physicists were studying samples of crystalline germanium.
While playing with these crystals, some seem to act as if they had a few n or negative carriers in them, and others seemed to have p or positive carriers in them.
At first it was not understood why they behaved this way, and the the naming convention long predates their use in electronics.
answered 7 hours ago
Paul YoungPaul Young
1,486318
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
So I should understand those germanium crystals were rather impure?
$endgroup$
– Ignat Insarov
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
Actually, can you refer me to the records of those early experiments?
$endgroup$
– Ignat Insarov
7 hours ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
For semiconductors, n-type mainly refers to Negative electrons which are the major charge carriers, whereas p-type refers to Positive, indicating holes which are the majority charge carriers (in this case), and can be thought of as positive.
In short, it tells us about the majority charge carriers in a particular type of semiconductor.
answered 8 hours ago
EagleEagle
3811217
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
For semiconductors, n-type mainly refers to Negative electrons which are the major charge carriers, whereas p-type refers to Positive, indicating holes which are the majority charge carriers (in this case), and can be thought of as positive.
In short, it tells us about the majority charge carriers in a particular type of semiconductor.
answered 8 hours ago
EagleEagle
3811217
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
For semiconductors, n-type mainly refers to Negative electrons which are the major charge carriers, whereas p-type refers to Positive, indicating holes which are the majority charge carriers (in this case), and can be thought of as positive.
In short, it tells us about the majority charge carriers in a particular type of semiconductor.
answered 8 hours ago
EagleEagle
3811217
$endgroup$
For semiconductors, n-type mainly refers to Negative electrons which are the major charge carriers, whereas p-type refers to Positive, indicating holes which are the majority charge carriers (in this case), and can be thought of as positive.
In short, it tells us about the majority charge carriers in a particular type of semiconductor.
answered 8 hours ago
EagleEagle
3811217
answered 8 hours ago
EagleEagle
3811217
answered 8 hours ago
EagleEagle
3811217
answered 8 hours ago
EagleEagle
3811217
3811217
add a comment |
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I want to supplement Eagle's answer.
Long before people deliberately doped semiconductors, physicists were studying samples of crystalline germanium.
While playing with these crystals, some seem to act as if they had a few n or negative carriers in them, and others seemed to have p or positive carriers in them.
At first it was not understood why they behaved this way, and the the naming convention long predates their use in electronics.
answered 7 hours ago
Paul YoungPaul Young
1,486318
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
So I should understand those germanium crystals were rather impure?
$endgroup$
– Ignat Insarov
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
Actually, can you refer me to the records of those early experiments?
$endgroup$
– Ignat Insarov
7 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I want to supplement Eagle's answer.
Long before people deliberately doped semiconductors, physicists were studying samples of crystalline germanium.
While playing with these crystals, some seem to act as if they had a few n or negative carriers in them, and others seemed to have p or positive carriers in them.
At first it was not understood why they behaved this way, and the the naming convention long predates their use in electronics.
answered 7 hours ago
Paul YoungPaul Young
1,486318
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
So I should understand those germanium crystals were rather impure?
$endgroup$
– Ignat Insarov
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
Actually, can you refer me to the records of those early experiments?
$endgroup$
– Ignat Insarov
7 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I want to supplement Eagle's answer.
Long before people deliberately doped semiconductors, physicists were studying samples of crystalline germanium.
While playing with these crystals, some seem to act as if they had a few n or negative carriers in them, and others seemed to have p or positive carriers in them.
At first it was not understood why they behaved this way, and the the naming convention long predates their use in electronics.
answered 7 hours ago
Paul YoungPaul Young
1,486318
$endgroup$
I want to supplement Eagle's answer.
Long before people deliberately doped semiconductors, physicists were studying samples of crystalline germanium.
While playing with these crystals, some seem to act as if they had a few n or negative carriers in them, and others seemed to have p or positive carriers in them.
At first it was not understood why they behaved this way, and the the naming convention long predates their use in electronics.
answered 7 hours ago
Paul YoungPaul Young
1,486318
answered 7 hours ago
Paul YoungPaul Young
1,486318
answered 7 hours ago
Paul YoungPaul Young
1,486318
answered 7 hours ago
Paul YoungPaul Young
1,486318
1,486318
1
$begingroup$
So I should understand those germanium crystals were rather impure?
$endgroup$
– Ignat Insarov
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
Actually, can you refer me to the records of those early experiments?
$endgroup$
– Ignat Insarov
7 hours ago
add a comment |
1
$begingroup$
So I should understand those germanium crystals were rather impure?
$endgroup$
– Ignat Insarov
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
Actually, can you refer me to the records of those early experiments?
$endgroup$
– Ignat Insarov
7 hours ago
1
1
$begingroup$
So I should understand those germanium crystals were rather impure?
$endgroup$
– Ignat Insarov
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
So I should understand those germanium crystals were rather impure?
$endgroup$
– Ignat Insarov
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
Actually, can you refer me to the records of those early experiments?
$endgroup$
– Ignat Insarov
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
Actually, can you refer me to the records of those early experiments?
$endgroup$
– Ignat Insarov
7 hours ago
add a comment |
Ignat Insarov is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Ignat Insarov is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Ignat Insarov is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Ignat Insarov is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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$begingroup$
Simple - n for negative, p for positive
$endgroup$
– Nilay Ghosh
7 hours ago