The cross-section of a metal-oxide-semiconductor structure is shown schematically. Starting from an uncharged condition, a bias o f + 3 V is applied to the gate contact with respect to the body contact. The charge inside the silicon dioxide layer is then measured to be +Q. The total charge contained within the dashed box shown, upon application of bias, expressed as a multiple of Q (absolute value in Coulombs, rounded off to the nearest integer) is ____________.

The correct answer is 0.

Step 1: Analyzing the schematic image
From the given cross-sectional schematic diagram of the metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structure, we can see the layer arrangement enclosed entirely by a DASHED BOX. The layers inside the dashed box consist of:
1. Top Contact: GATE
2. Dielectric Layer: Silicon Dioxide (SiO₂)
3. Semiconductor Substrate: Si
4. Bottom Contact: BODY

Step 2: Understanding Total Charge Neutrality
By Gauss's Law and the principle of global charge neutrality for an isolated system or a complete device structure enclosed within a Gaussian boundary:
When a voltage bias is applied across the gate and body contacts, charge redistributes internally within the MOS structure (inducing charges at the gate terminal, oxide layer, semiconductor surface, and body contact).

However, since the dashed box completely encloses the entire MOS capacitor structure (including the gate contact, oxide layer, silicon bulk, and body contact), no net charge enters or leaves the closed system from outside without equal counter-balancing induced charges within the defined system bounds.

Step 3: Calculating the Net Charge Inside the Dashed Box
The total charge

$Q_{\text{total}}$

$Q_{\text{total}}=Q_{\text{gate}}+Q_{\text{oxide}}+Q_{\text{semiconductor}}=0$

Therefore, the overall structure remains electrostatically neutral as a whole. Expressed as a multiple of Q, the total charge contained within the dashed box is 0.