In semiconductor physics, an acceptor is a dopant atom that when added to a semiconductor can

form a p-type region.

Boron atom acting as an acceptor in the simplified 2D Silicon lattice.
For example, when silicon (Si), having four valence electrons, needs to be doped as a p-type
semiconductor, elements from group III like boron (B) or aluminium (Al), having three valence
electrons, can be used. The latter elements are also called trivalent impurities. Other trivalent
dopants include indium (In) and gallium (Ga).
When substituting a Si atom in the crystal lattice, the three valence electrons of boron form
covalent bonds with three of the Si neighbours but the bond with the fourth neighbour remains
unsatisfied. The unsatisfied bond attracts electrons from the neighbouring bonds. At room
temperature, an electron from the neighbouring bond will jump to repair the unsatisfied bond
thus leaving a hole (a place where an electron is deficient). The hole will again attract an electron
from the neighbouring bond to repair this unsatisfied bond. This chain-like process results in the
hole moving around the crystal and able to carry a current thus acting as a charge carrier. The
initially electroneutral acceptor becomes negatively charged (ionised).


Semiconductor doping is the process that changes an intrinsic semiconductor to an extrinsic
semiconductor. During doping, impurity atoms are introduced to an intrinsic semiconductor.
Impurity atoms are atoms of a different element than the atoms of the intrinsic semiconductor.
Impurity atoms act as either donors or acceptors to the intrinsic semiconductor, changing the
electron and hole concentrations of the semiconductor. Impurity atoms are classified as donor or
acceptor atoms based on the effect they have on the intrinsic semiconductor.
Donor impurity atoms have more valence electrons than the atoms they replace in the intrinsic
semiconductor lattice. Donor impurities "donate" their extra valence electrons to a
semiconductor's conduction band, providing excess electrons to the intrinsic semiconductor.
Excess electrons increase the electron carrier concentration (n
0
) of the semiconductor, making it
n-type.
Acceptor impurity atoms have fewer valence electrons than the atoms they replace in the
intrinsic semiconductor. They "accept" electrons from the semiconductor's valence band. This
provides excess holes to the intrinsic semiconductor. Excess holes increase the hole carrier
concentration (p
0
) of the semiconductor, creating a p-type semiconductor.
Semiconductors and dopant atoms are defined by the column of the periodic in which they fall.
The column definition of the semiconductor determines how many valence electrons its atoms
have and whether dopant atoms act as the semiconductor's donors or acceptors.
Group IV semiconductors use group V atoms as donors and group III atoms as acceptors.
Group III-V semiconductors, the compound semiconductors, use group VI atoms as donors and
group II atoms as acceptors. Group III-V semiconductors can also use group IV atoms as either
donors or acceptors. When a group IV atom replaces the group III element in the semiconductor
lattice, the group IV atom acts as a donor. Conversely, when a group IV atom replaces the group
V element, the group IV atom acts as an acceptor. Group IV atoms can act as both donors and
acceptors; therefore, they are known as amphoteric impurities.

Intrinsic semiconductor Donor atoms Acceptor atoms
Group IV
semiconductors
Silicon, Germanium
Phosphorus,
Arsenic
Boron, Aluminium
Group III-V
semiconductors
Aluminum phosphide,
Aluminum arsenide, Gallium
arsenide, Gallium nitride
Selenium,
Tellurium, Silicon,
Germanium
Beryllium, Zinc,
Cadmium, Silicon,
Germanium
The two types of extrinsic semiconductor[edit]
N-type semiconductors[edit]


Band structure of an n-type semiconductor. Dark circles in the conduction band are electrons and
light circles in the valence band are holes. The image shows that the electrons are the majority
charge carrier.
Extrinsic semiconductors with a larger electron concentration than hole concentration are known
as n-type semiconductors. The phrase 'n-type' comes from the negative charge of the electron. In
n-type semiconductors, electrons are the majority carriers and holes are the minority carriers. N-
type semiconductors are created by doping an intrinsic semiconductor with donor impurities (or
doping a p-type semiconductor as done in the making of CMOS chips). A common dopant for n-
type semiconductors is Phosphorous. In an n-type semiconductor, the Fermi energy level is
greater than that of the intrinsic semiconductor and lies closer to the conduction band than the
valence band.
P-type semiconductors[edit]


Band structure of a p-type semiconductor. Dark circles in the conduction band are electrons and
light circles in the valence band are holes. The image shows that the holes are the majority
charge carrier
As opposed to n-type semiconductors, p-type semiconductors have a larger hole concentration
than electron concentration. The phrase 'p-type' refers to the positive charge of the hole. In p-type
semiconductors, holes are the majority carriers and electrons are the minority carriers. P-type
semiconductors are created by doping an intrinsic semiconductor with acceptor impurities (or
doping a n-type semiconductor). A common P-type dopant is Boron. P-type semiconductors have
Fermi energy levels below the intrinsic Fermi energy level. The Fermi energy level lies closer to
the valence band than the conduction band in a p-type semiconductor.