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dopant

 
Dictionary: dop·ant   (dō'pənt) pronunciation
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n.
A substance, such as boron, added in small amounts to a pure semiconductor material to alter its conductive properties for use in transistors and diodes.

[DOP(E) + -ANT.]


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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: dopant
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Any impurity added to a semiconductor to modify its electrical conductivity. The most common semiconductors, silicon and germanium, form crystalline lattices in which each atom shares electrons with four neighbours (see bonding). Replacing some atoms with donor atoms (e.g., phosphorus, arsenic) that have five bonding electrons makes extra electrons available. The semiconductor thus doped is called n-type (for negative, because of the additional negative charges). Doping with acceptor atoms (e.g., gallium), which have only three electrons available, creates "holes," which are positively charged. Conduction can occur by migration of holes through the crystal structure of such a semiconductor, known as p-type (for positive).

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Computer Desktop Encyclopedia: dopant
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An element diffused into pure silicon in order to alter its electrical characteristics and make it more conductive. Boron, phosphorous, antimony and arsenic are common dopants. See doping.

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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
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