Here is a link that will answer your question
http://www.automationdirect.com/static/specs/proxterms.pdf
NPN and PNP are transistor types. The difference in the way the layers of semiconductor material are doped with impurities.
There is no difference they perform the same functions.
NPN and PNP transistors function in essentially the same way. The power supply polarities are simply reversed for each type. The only major difference between the two types is that the NPN transistor has a higher frequency response than the PNP-because electron flow is faster than hole flow. Therefore high frequency applications will utilize NPN transistors.
npn and pnp transistors have the same operation as one another, they are both switches, pnps may be known as inverted switches because they work on negative voltage supplys and not positive voltage supplies.
Generally upstream is closer to the positive (+) voltage source. In the case of an NPN transistor upstream of the transistor is the part of the circuit from (+) to the NPN collector pin. Downstream of the transistor is from the NPN emitter pin to the ground / sink / negative (-) terminal.
npn is preferred to pnp since n-doping can be pushed to higher values without damaging silicon lattice. due to this fact, doped regions can be less resistive. difference between npn and pnp is becoming smaller and smaller, tho.
diff. between npn and pnp transristor
Mainly there are two types of transistors. They are BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistors) and FET(Field Effect Transisters). In BJT, there are two types called PNP and NPN. Actually NPN means a BJT transister.
Basically the power supply is reversed. The NPN can be used for higher frequencies since electrons can move faster than holes.
Application is asking for an NPN#
The primary reason that NPN transistors are used more often than PNP transistors is that they usually operate faster (at higher frequencies) because the mobility of the current carriers in NPN transistors (electrons) is much higher than that of the current carriers in PNP transistors (holes).
The is in refrence to a NPN Prox Switch. These types of electrical sensors are widely used in various types of Manufacturing Facilities. Many of these types of manufactures are well known to the manufacturing community such as diect automation, rockwell automation, keyennce and omron to name a few. NPN prox switches are known for there Neutral to positive sensing characteristics, thus having the output back to the controller a neutral based signal.