Donoratomista

Donoratomista is a term used in solid-state physics and materials science to describe an atom or impurity atom that readily donates an electron to the conduction band of a semiconductor crystal. These donor atoms are typically elements from Group V of the periodic table when incorporated into a Group IV semiconductor, such as silicon or germanium. Common examples include phosphorus, arsenic, and antimony. When a Group V element replaces a Group IV atom in the crystal lattice, it has five valence electrons compared to the four of the host atom. Four of these electrons form covalent bonds with the neighboring host atoms, leaving the fifth electron loosely bound. This extra electron requires very little energy to break free from the donor atom and become a mobile charge carrier in the conduction band, thus increasing the electrical conductivity of the material. This process is fundamental to creating n-type semiconductors, where the majority charge carriers are electrons. The concentration and type of donor atoms introduced into a semiconductor are precisely controlled during manufacturing processes like doping to tailor the electrical properties of semiconductor devices. The presence of donor atoms significantly influences the Fermi level, shifting it closer to the conduction band edge, which is characteristic of n-type conductivity.