What is the significance of n+, p+, and p doping in silicon wafers?

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In summary, the article discusses n+, p+, and p doped silicon wafers, with n+ and p+ having significantly lower resistivities compared to p. The plus sign indicates "extrinsic" doping, making the material highly conductive, while the "i" layer remains undoped. The author typically refers to heavily doped Si as n+ or p+, but uses n or p for resistivities greater than an Ohm-cm.
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donquixote17
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I'm reading an article that has n+, p+, and p doped silicon wafers.
http://iopscience.iop.org/0953-8984/10/44/001"
I hadn't heard of n+ or p+ before, just n and p. I noticed in the article that n+ and p+ had really low resistivites (10^-2 Ohm-cm) and p had a resistivity of about 10 Ohm-cm.

So does the plus sign just mean it is heavily doped or is there a different meaning to the + sign?
 
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Yes, the plus sign refers to "extrinsic" doping such that the material is highly conductive. This is used typically in the outer layers of p-i-n diodes. By contrast, the i layer is "intrinsic," or undoped and highly resistive.
 
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  • #3
I usually use n+ and p+ for Si that is doped heavily enough that the resistivity is down in the range of milliOhm-cm. When it's greater than an Ohm-cm, I call it n or p type. I think that's not completely inconsistent with the literature.
 
  • #4
Great. Thanks so much!
 

1. What is n+ doping?

N+ doping is a process in semiconductor manufacturing where impurities, such as phosphorus or arsenic, are added to a silicon crystal to create an excess of negatively-charged carriers, also known as electrons. This results in the creation of an n-type semiconductor, which has a higher concentration of electrons than holes.

2. What is p+ doping?

P+ doping is the opposite of n+ doping, where impurities such as boron or gallium are added to a silicon crystal to create an excess of positively-charged carriers, also known as holes. This results in the creation of a p-type semiconductor, which has a higher concentration of holes than electrons.

3. What is the purpose of n+ and p+ doping?

The purpose of n+ and p+ doping is to alter the electrical properties of a semiconductor material, making it more suitable for use in electronic devices. By creating an excess of either electrons or holes, the conductivity and other characteristics of the material can be controlled and manipulated for specific applications.

4. What is the difference between n+ and p+ doping?

The main difference between n+ and p+ doping is the type of excess charge carriers created. N+ doping results in an excess of electrons, while p+ doping results in an excess of holes. This leads to different electrical properties and behavior of the doped material.

5. How does p+ and n+ doping affect the conductivity of a semiconductor?

P+ and n+ doping both increase the conductivity of a semiconductor material. This is because the excess charge carriers created by the doping process allow for easier flow of electricity through the material. However, the type of doping will also affect the type of conductivity, with n+ doping resulting in n-type conductivity and p+ doping resulting in p-type conductivity.

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