A solar cell is made of two types of semiconductors, called p-type and n-type silicon. The p-type silicon is produced by adding atoms—such as boron or gallium—that have one less electron in their ...

The PN junction is one of the primary building blocks of semiconductors. A diode (one way valve) is a PN junction with p-type on one side and n-type on the other. When a positive voltage is ...

Still, modern manufacturing is dominated by two basic types of semiconductors: N-type and P-type. Like carbon, silicon has four electrons in its outermost electron shell, so it can form four bonds.