n-type

The junctions in a transistor are between bits of silicon doped to conduct electrons known as n-type material, because electrons are negatively charged, and p-type areas doped to conduct positively charged holes in the crystal lattice, which are places where electrons should be, but aren't.

The Economist: Daily news and views 2011

An electrical wire located on the far end of the n-type layer gathers the suffocating electrons and shepherds them back across.

Solar energy offers a vast supply of power, but harnessing it is a challenge 2010

Electrons can cross from the spacious boron-silicon (or p-type) layer to the crowded n-type layer, but not the other way.

Solar energy offers a vast supply of power, but harnessing it is a challenge 2010

So those electrons remain stuffed in the n-type layer.

Solar energy offers a vast supply of power, but harnessing it is a challenge 2010

Just as you can pump more air into the pool float, the sun's energy forces more electrons into the already crowded n-type layer.

Solar energy offers a vast supply of power, but harnessing it is a challenge 2010

The silicon-phosphorous layer is known as the negative, or n-type layer, because it has lots of spare electrons.

Solar energy offers a vast supply of power, but harnessing it is a challenge 2010

Fortunately, something special happens where the two layers meet that prevents too many electrons from escaping the crowded n-type layer.

Solar energy offers a vast supply of power, but harnessing it is a challenge 2010

Phosphorous is then diffused onto one side to create an n-type semiconductor layer and a p-n junction where the two semiconducting surfaces meet.

Photovoltaics 2009

The bread would be semiconductor material with an excess of electrons; it was dubbed "n-type."

The Transistor 2008

You can make both p - and n-type semiconductors, which means you can make transistors out of them.

Bill Joy muses on what's next 2006