An n-type semi- conductor is

Options

A. Positively charged
B. Negatively charged
C. Either positively charged or negatively charged
D. Electrically neutral

Answer

To determine the characteristics of an n-type semiconductor, let's analyze the question step by step.

### Step 1: Understanding Doping
- Doping is the process of adding impurities to a semiconductor to change its electrical properties. In n-type semiconductors, pentavalent atoms (like phosphorus) are added to a pure semiconductor (like silicon).

### Step 2: Electron Contribution
- The pentavalent atoms contribute extra electrons to the conduction band of the semiconductor. These extra electrons are responsible for the n-type behavior, where "n" stands for negative.

### Step 3: Charge Carriers
- In an n-type semiconductor, the majority charge carriers are electrons (which are negatively charged), while the minority charge carriers are holes (which are positively charged). However, the overall charge of the semiconductor remains neutral.

### Step 4: Net Charge of n-Type Semiconductor
- Before doping, the number of electrons and holes is equal, making the pure semiconductor electrically neutral. After doping, although there are more electrons than holes, the total charge remains balanced because the added electrons come from neutral atoms.

### Conclusion
- Therefore, an n-type semiconductor is electrically neutral overall, despite having more electrons than holes.

### Final Answer
- The correct option is: **Option 4: electrically neutral.**

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