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Aranion
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why do minority carriers exist? in a p-type material, why don't the minority carriers recombine (and get annihlated) with excess holes?
Aranion said:why don't the minority carriers recombine with excess holes?
Minority carriers are electric charge carriers that exist in a semiconductor material in smaller quantities compared to the majority carriers (electrons or holes). They are generated by impurities or defects in the material and have a shorter lifetime compared to majority carriers.
Minority carriers contribute to the conductivity of a semiconductor by increasing the number of charge carriers available for conduction. However, their shorter lifetime also results in a lower overall conductivity compared to majority carriers.
Minority carriers play a crucial role in the functioning of semiconductor devices such as diodes, transistors, and solar cells. Their presence allows for the control and manipulation of current flow in these devices, making them essential for electronic technology.
In a solar cell, minority carriers (generated by the absorption of light) contribute to the photocurrent, which is the current generated by the device. However, their recombination with majority carriers also reduces the efficiency of the solar cell.
The concentration of minority carriers can be controlled by introducing impurities or defects in the material through a process called doping. Doping with donors (such as phosphorus) increases the concentration of minority carriers, while doping with acceptors (such as boron) decreases their concentration.