 Donor (semiconductors)

In the context of semiconductors, a "donor" refers to an atom or impurity that is introduced into a semiconductor material (typically silicon or germanium) to create n-type (negative-type) semiconductor material. When donor atoms, which typically have five valence electrons (such as phosphorus, arsenic, or antimony), are added to the semiconductor lattice, they donate one extra electron that is not needed for bonding with the surrounding silicon atoms.