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Semiconductors can be classified into two types: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic semiconductors are pure substances, while extrinsic semiconductors are doped with impurities.
Intrinsic semiconductors have a small number of charge carriers, which are generated by thermal excitation. They have a high resistance and a low conductivity at room temperature. However, as the temperature increases, the number of charge carriers also increases, resulting in a decrease in resistance and an increase in conductivity.
Extrinsic semiconductors, on the other hand, have a much higher number of charge carriers due to the presence of impurities. These impurities can either donate or accept electrons, resulting in n-type or p-type semiconductors, respectively. N-type semiconductors have an excess of electrons, while p-type semiconductors have a deficiency of electrons.
The conductivity of extrinsic semiconductors is much higher than that of intrinsic semiconductors, and can be controlled by adjusting the concentration of impurities. This makes extrinsic semiconductors more useful for electronic applications, such as in transistors and diodes.
In summary, intrinsic semiconductors have a low conductivity and resistance that increases with temperature, while extrinsic semiconductors have a higher conductivity and can be doped to create n-type or p-type semiconductors for electronic applications.
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