Minority carriers are charge carriers in a semiconductor that are present in smaller quantities compared to majority carriers. In n-type semiconductors, minority carriers are holes, while in p-type semiconductors, they are electrons. These carriers play a crucial role in determining the electrical properties of semiconductors, particularly in processes like recombination and conduction. Their behavior is essential for the operation of devices such as diodes and transistors.
The majority carrier in p-type semiconductor is the hole. Electron carriers in p-type semiconductor are minority carriers. Minority carriers in any semiconductor are produced mainly by heat. Only at absolute zero temperature would there be no minority carriers.
The carriers responsible for reverse current flow in a semiconductor device, such as a diode, are typically minority charge carriers. In a p-n junction, for example, electrons (minority carriers in p-type material) and holes (minority carriers in n-type material) contribute to the reverse current when the diode is reverse-biased. This flow occurs due to thermal excitation, allowing these minority carriers to move across the junction and contribute to the reverse saturation current.
bipolar devices use both majority and minority current carriersunipolar devices use only majority current carriers
Minority charge carrier injection refers to the process in semiconductor materials where minority carriers (electrons in p-type semiconductors and holes in n-type semiconductors) are introduced into the material. This occurs when a voltage is applied to a junction, causing minority carriers to be injected from one region into another, enhancing conduction and affecting the overall electrical properties of the semiconductor. This phenomenon is crucial in devices like bipolar junction transistors and diodes, where it plays a significant role in their operation and efficiency.
PNPOperates on minority charge carriers (holes).Slower than NPN because holes are less mobile than electrons.Slightly easier to manufacture than NPN.More sensitive to high temperature due to thermal hole generation.etc.NPNOperates on minority charge carriers (electrons).Faster than PNP because electrons are more mobile than holes.Slightly harder to manufacture than PNP.Less sensitive to high temperature.etc.
In semiconductor devices there are two types of charge carriers: electrons and holes. In N-type doped semiconductor the majority charge carriers are electrons and the minority charge carriers are holes. In P-type doped semiconductor the majority charge carriers are holes and the minority charge carriers are electrons.Some kinds of semiconductor devices operate using minority charge carriers in part(s) of their structure. The common bipolar junction transistor is one of these, they are sensitive to a phenomenon called thermal runaway because additional minority carriers are produced as temperature increases. (field effect transistors however operate using only majority carriers and are thus not sensitive to thermal runaway)
The majority carrier in p-type semiconductor is the hole. Electron carriers in p-type semiconductor are minority carriers. Minority carriers in any semiconductor are produced mainly by heat. Only at absolute zero temperature would there be no minority carriers.
Majority charge carriers in the N-type side of a semiconductor material are electrons, because N-type semiconductor is doped with a material with 5 valence electrons. Semiconductor materials have 4 valence electrons and hold tightly to 8, so there is a "loose" electron for every atom of dopant. Therefore most of the charge carriers available are electrons. IE, electrons are the majority charge carriers. Minority charge carriers in N-type semiconductor are holes. Only a few holes (lack of an electron) are created by thermal effects, hence holes are the minority carriers in N-type material. The situation is reversed in P-type semiconductor. A material having only 3 valence electrons is doped into the semiconductor. The semiconductor atoms have 4 valence electrons try to hold tightly to 8, so there is a virtual hole created by a "missing" electron in the valence orbit. This acts as if it were a positive charge carrier. Most of the charge carriers are these holes, therefore in P-type semiconductor holes are the majority charge carrier. Again, reverse situation to minority charge carriers. Some electrons are loosened by thermal effects, they are the minority charge carriers in P-type semiconductor.
There are two recognized types of charge carriers insemiconductors. One iselectrons, which carry a negativeelectric charge. In addition, it is convenient to treat the traveling vacancies in thevalence bandelectron population (holes) as the second type of charge carrier, which carry a positive charge equal in magnitude to that of an electron
The carriers responsible for reverse current flow in a semiconductor device, such as a diode, are typically minority charge carriers. In a p-n junction, for example, electrons (minority carriers in p-type material) and holes (minority carriers in n-type material) contribute to the reverse current when the diode is reverse-biased. This flow occurs due to thermal excitation, allowing these minority carriers to move across the junction and contribute to the reverse saturation current.
In an N-type semiconductor, majority current carriers are electrons, while minority current carriers are holes. In a P-type semiconductor, majority current carriers are holes, while minority current carriers are electrons.
In diode some current flows for the presence of the minority charge carriers. This current is known as reverse saturated current. This is generally measured by picoampere. This current is independent of reverse voltage. It only depends on the thermal excitation of the minority carriers
bipolar devices use both majority and minority current carriersunipolar devices use only majority current carriers
Minority charge carrier injection refers to the process in semiconductor materials where minority carriers (electrons in p-type semiconductors and holes in n-type semiconductors) are introduced into the material. This occurs when a voltage is applied to a junction, causing minority carriers to be injected from one region into another, enhancing conduction and affecting the overall electrical properties of the semiconductor. This phenomenon is crucial in devices like bipolar junction transistors and diodes, where it plays a significant role in their operation and efficiency.
FOR n-type semiconductor the majority charge carrier is electron and for n-type semiconductor it is hole. the majority and minority charge carrier is result of free electron and hole. the majority charge carrier is responsible for transport of electron.
p-type
Free electrons and holes are the charge carriers-not only in intrinsic semiconductors(these are the purest form of semiconductors-typically as pure as can be made available with the present technology) but also in extrinsic semiconductors(doped semiconductors).In intrinsic semiconductors,electron-hole pairs are created due to the natural processes like-absorption of heat energy from the surroundingsabsorption of energy from photons.this absorbed energy results in breakdown ofcovalant bonds in intrinsic semiconductors as a result of which electron-hole pairs are created.It is this electron hole pair which is responsible for carrying the current through the intrinsic semiconductor when a potential difference is applied across it.In extrinsic semiconductor the case is slightly different-here, we have-majority charge carriers and minority charge carriers.in an n-type semiconductor-majority charge carriers are the electrons contributed by the pentavalent impurities while the minority charge carriers are the holes which are generated as electron-hole pairs due to natural processes discussed above.in p-type semiconductor-majority charge carriers are the holes contributed by trivalent impuritieswhereas the minority charge carriers are the electronswhich are generated as electron-hole pairs due to natural processes discussed above.these are the majority charge carriers which contribute heavily in the flow of current through the extrinsic semiconductors than the minority charge carriers.I suggest you to please go through mass action law and law of electrical neutrality of semiconductors for better understanding.