Did Sir J.C. Bose Anticipate the Existence of p‐ and n‐Type Semiconductors in His Coherer/Detector Experiments?

Sir J.C. Bose developed a Galena detector, the first semiconductor device, for which his US patent application from Calcutta, India, was sanctioned in 1904. Sir Neville Mott later commented that Bose was the first to anticipate the existence of n‐ and p‐type semiconductors. The present paper aims to examine critically the oft‐quoted statement by Mott.To give a proper perspective, a brief bio‐sketch of Bose and his work on coherer or detector are presented. Mention is then made of when, where, and to whom Mott made the comment. A brief outline of semiconductor research before and after Bose presented thereafter prepares the basis for critically examining Mott's remark. A negative answer to the question posed by the title emerges.