Semiconductor physics
Which correctly describes a hole?
- AA vacancy left in the valence band when an electron leaves, which behaves like a positively charged particle
- BA proton in the atomic nucleus
- CAn electron in the conduction band
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. A vacancy left in the valence band when an electron leaves, which behaves like a positively charged particle
When an electron leaves the valence band, a neighboring electron moves into the vacancy, so the vacancy appears to move. A hole treats the motion of this vacancy as the motion of a positively charged particle. In p-type semiconductors, holes are the majority carriers.