Liquid sources are available in two forms: Bubblers and spin on dopants. Bubblers convert the liquid to vapour, which then reacts with oxygen to form dopant oxides on the wafers. The spins on dopants are solutions which on drying form doped SiO₂ layers. The typical examples of liquid sources are POCl₃ and BBr₃ (boron tribromide).

Solid sources are available in two forms; such as tablet/granular and disc/wafer form. BN discs are most commonly used oxidized at 750 - 1100°C to serve as the boron diffusion source. Dopants are introduced into the silicon substrate using a two step, high temperature process. The first diffusion (predeposition) introduces dopants into the wafer. The second diffusion (drive) redistributes the dopants and allows the dopants to diffuse into the wafer more deeply (up to ~3 micrometers). The goal of the dopant predeposition diffusion is to move dopant atoms from a source to the wafer, and later allow the dopants to diffuse into the wafer. In order for the dopants to move into the silicon, they must be given energy, usually in the form of heat. In order for the diffusion to occur in a reasonable time, the temperature must be very high (900ºC <T<1200º). At this temperature the dopant (in the form of an oxide) reacts with the exposed silicon surface to form a highly doped glass. It is from this glass that the dopants can then diffuse into the wafer.