5 Facts About Silicon as a Semi-Conductor

Silicon WaferSilicon is an extremely common element on Earth and is responsible for inviting white sand beaches, as silica, an oxide of silicon, is the most common component of sand. Modern computing also owes a lot to silicon, as it is a crucial component in microelectronics and computer chips. A silicon wafer manufacturer provides silicon wafers that are used as a part of the original manufacture of coordinated circuits or similar gadgets.

 

Unique Composition

As silicon wafer manufacturers have shown that silicon has many other practical uses as well. Silicon is neither metal nor non-metal; it’s a metalloid, an element that falls somewhere between the two. Metalloids generally have properties of both metals and non-metals. Silicon is a semiconductor, meaning that it does conduct electricity.

 

The Hotter, the Better

Unlike a typical metal, silicon gets better at conducting electricity as the temperature increases (metals get worse at conductivity at higher temperatures). This is why there are many silicon wafer manufacturers that supply the market.

 

Transistors

As a semi-conductor, silicon is used to make transistors, which amplify or switch electrical currents and are the main elements in electronics from radios to iPhones. These manufacturers look to silicon wafer manufacturers as a key supplier.

 

Switches

Silicon is also used in a variety of ways in solar cells and computer chips, for example, as a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor, or MOSFET, the basic switch in many electronics.

 

Superconductor Potential

Silicon also has future potential in the creation of tiny lasers called nanoneedles, which can transmit data faster and more efficiently than traditional optical cables. Superconductor lasers shed heat much easier than glass lasers, meaning they can create more power than traditional lasers.