Germanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ge and atomic number 32. It is a lustrous, hard-brittle, grayish-white metalloid in the carbon group, chemically similar to its group neighbors silicon and tin . Pure germanium is a semiconductor with an appearance similar to elemental silicon.
Why is germanium chemically similar to silicon?
Since they are in the same column, we know that silicon and germanium have the same number of electrons in their outer or valence shell . Germanium atoms have one more shell than silicon atoms, but what makes for the interesting semiconductor properties is the fact that both have four electrons in the valence shell.
What is the main difference between silicon and germanium?
Silicon is a chemical element with atomic number 14 and chemical symbol Si while germanium is a chemical element with atomic number 32 and chemical symbol is Ge. The key difference between silicon and germanium is that Germanium has d electrons , but Silicon does not have any d electrons.
What element is most similar to silicone?
Germanium . Germanium is a rare element used in the manufacture of semi-conductor devices. The physical and chemical properties of germanium are very similar to those of silicon.
How germanium can be used as a substitute for silicon?
Germanium is one material being considered to replace silicon because it could enable the industry to make smaller transistors and more compact integrated circuits, Ye said. ... The material had previously been limited to “P-type” transistors. The findings show how to use the material also to make “N-type” transistors.
Which is better silicon or germanium?
Ge has higher electron and hole mobility and because of this Ge devices can function up to a higher frequency than Si devices. The germanium diode is also superior to silicon diode in terms of energy loss, current loss, etc. The Ge diode loses only 0.3-0.4 a volt while a silicon diode loses about 0.6-0.7 volts.
Is silicon better than germanium?
Why is silicon usually preferred to germanium in the manufacture of semiconductor devices? Silicon is abundant on the earth’s surface and therefore cheaper than germanium . The PIV (Peak Inverse Voltage) rating of silicon is much higher than germanium and therefore can withstand much higher temperatures than germanium.
What is similar to silicon?
Germanium (Ge) has properties that are most like those of silicon (Si).
Which element is most like oxygen?
Explanation: Oxygen is in group 16/VIA, which is called the chalcogens, and members of the same group have similar properties. Sulfur and selenium are the next two elements in the group, and they react with hydrogen gas (H2) in a manner similar to oxygen.
Why is silicon a good substitute for carbon?
For example, the element silicon (Si) has chemical properties similar to those of carbon and thus might be suitable in place of carbon as a basis for some living organisms. ... Specifically, carbon, with its 4 unpaired outer electrons, can form tight chemical bonds by sharing those electrons with other elements.
Is germanium toxic to humans?
Germanium is not an essential element. Its acute toxicity is low . However, at least 31 reported human cases linked prolonged intake of germanium products with renal failure and even death.
Is germanium more expensive than silicon?
Thus Silicon, which is more abundant and less expensive than Germanium became the standard material and is still being used today and for the foreseable future. Silicon Benefits: Low Reverse Leakage Current.
Is silicon an insulator?
Silicon is a semiconductor. It can conduct electricity as well as behave as an insulator by varying it’s properties . Silicon is currently the most used material in space semiconductor devices. The conductivity of silicon lies between the conductivity limits of conductors and insulators.
What are the advantages of silicon over germanium?
Why is silicon usually preferred to germanium in the manufacture of semiconductor devices? Silicon is abundant on the earth’s surface and therefore cheaper than germanium . The PIV (Peak Inverse Voltage) rating of silicon is much higher than germanium and therefore can withstand much higher temperatures than germanium.
Why band gap of silicon is more than germanium?
The electrons in the silicon atoms are more tightly bound to the nucleus than the electrons of the germanium atom due to its small size . This is the reason why the band gap of silicon is more than that of germanium.
Why silicon is the best semiconductor?
The number of photons having energy higher than the silicon gap are the greatest on the solar spectra and that’s why silicon is the most known semiconductor material used for solar cells since its energy gap is about 1.1 ev, while the photons flux density is the highest for those carrying energy more than 1.1 ev.
