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.

N-type silicon is silicon that has been chemically combined (doped) with phosphorus gas to make it conductive. A silicon atom has four electrons in its outer shell and bonds tightly with four ...

Phosphorus has five electrons in its outer energy level, not four. It bonds with its silicon neighbor atoms, but one electron is not involved in bonding. Instead, it is free to move inside the silicon ...

If the imbalance is too great, radioactive decay will occur. Up to two electrons may exist in the atom's first shell. Up to eight electrons may exist in the atom's second shell. An electron may ...

Atoms of group 1 elements have one electron in their outer shell, and atoms of group 2 elements have two electrons in their outer shell. Elements in groups 6, 7 and 0 are non-metals. Atoms of ...