In an n type semiconductor, the minority carriers are

  • A. electrons
  • B. holes
  • C. protons
  • D. positive ions

Explanation

Doping supplies a large number of electrons, but thermal generation still creates a small population of holes, and these minority carriers are what produce the leakage current in a reverse biased junction. Their number rises steeply with temperature, which is why semiconductor devices become unreliable when they overheat. In p type material the roles are exactly reversed.

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