Why Is Silicon Used More 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.

Why is silicon the most widely used semiconductor?

Silicon material has been widely used in semiconductor device fabrication because of its low cost and its producibility of high quality silicon dioxide needed for impurity diffusion and surface passivation processes .

Why is silicon transistor more commonly used compared to germanium transistor?

Silicon as a semiconductor has wider bandgap than germanium and therefore it can be operated at a much higher temperature up to 120 degree centigrade . It interstice concentration is much less than Ge and therefore the reverse saturation current has much less values for Si which means less of currents.

Why silicon is mostly used?

Silicon is used for electronic devices because it is an element with very special properties . One of it’s most important properties is that it is a semiconductor. This means that it conducts electricity under some conditions and acts as an insulator under others. ... Silicon is also an abundant element on Earth.

Why is the silicon mostly chosen when compared to germanium 1 point?

Why is the silicon mostly chosen when compared to germanium? Explanation: The normal working temperature of germanium is approximately 70°C . ... The other advantages of using a silicon material are, it has a smaller I _CBO and its variations are smaller with temperature.

Which is better silicon or germanium?

In present, Silicon is preferred over Germanium for semiconductor . The reason is, Silicon can be worked at a higher temperature as compared to germanium. ... The structure of Germanium crystals will be destroyed at higher temperature.

Why is there a silicon shortage?

One is that there’s a global semiconductor shortage as a result of geopolitical rivalry between the US and China . This was triggered initially by the decision to exclude Huawei from western mobile networks.

Why is Si preferred 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.

What is 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.

Is germanium more expensive than silicon?

With the research open to the public, commercial entities discovered that Silicon worked very well in consumer items such as portable transistor radios. 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.

What is the advantage of using silicon chips in computers?

Silicon is used because it can be used as either an insulator (doesn’t allow electricity to flow) or a semiconductor (allows a little flow of electricity). This is important for making chips. Also, it is very, very cheap.

Is silicon a 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.

Is silicon a metal?

For this reason, silicon is known as a chemical analogue to carbon. ... But unlike carbon, silicon a metalloid — in fact, it’s the most common metalloid on earth. “Metalloid” is a term applied to elements that are better conductors of electron flow — electricity — than nonmetals, but not as good as metals.

What is the maximum value of PIV for germanium?

What is knee voltage?

Knee voltage: The forward voltage at which the flow of the current during the PN Junction of the diode begins increasing very quickly is commonly known as knee voltage. This voltage is also known as cut-in voltage. ... These are generally observed in Zener diodes.

How can pure germanium support a current flow?

1 Approved Answer

Pure germanium is semi conducting material. The electrical activity in semiconductor material is highly dependent on temperature .