minority carrier
Quick Summary
In electronics, a minority carrier refers to the less abundant type of charge carrier in a semiconductor material. In n-type semiconductors, electrons are the majority carriers, and holes are the minority carriers. Conversely, in p-type semiconductors, holes are the majority carriers, and electrons are the minority carriers.1
Minority carrier injection is a process where these less abundant carriers are introduced into a semiconductor material at the boundary between p-type and n-type regions. This process is crucial for the operation of certain electronic components, such as bipolar junction transistors.1
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.