Which is better germanium or silicon?

Which is better germanium or silicon?

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. Also, Silicon has much smaller leakage current than that of germanium.

What is the difference between silicon and germanium?

Silicon and germanium have four valence electrons but at the given temperature germanium will have more free electrons and higher conductivity than silicon. Silicon is more widely used in the electronic device than germanium since it can be used at a higher temperature.

Why silicon and germanium are widely used as semiconductors?

Silicon and germanium are used here effectively because they have 4 valence electrons in their outermost shell, which gives them the ability to gain or lose electrons equally at the same time.

Why does it matter whether a transistor is germanium or silicon?

Peak Inverse Voltage ratings of Silicon diodes are greater than Germanium diodes. Si is less expensive due to the greater abundance of element.

Why is silicon The most commonly used substrate material for ICS fabrication?

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 silicon is most widely 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 are germanium and silicon not efficient conductors?

Pure silicon and germanium are poor conductors of electricity because their outer electrons are tied up in the covalent bonds of the diamondlike framework. Electrical conductivity decreases as temperature increases in metals because the vibrations of the atoms make passage of electrons more difficult.

Why silicon is most widely used as a semiconductor as compared with germanium?

Silicon crystals have fewer free electrons than germanium crystals at room temperature, which is why silicon crystals are used for semiconductor devices. In general, the ICBO of germanium is 10-100 times greater than that of silicon, but the variation of ICBo at any temperature is lower for silicon than for germanium.

Why is silicon so much better than germanium?

At room temperature, a silicon crystal has fewer free electrons than a germanium crystal. This implies that silicon will have much smaller collector cut off current (ICBO) than that of germanium. In general, with germanium, ICBO is 10 to 100 times greater than with silicon.

Why is silicon preferred over germanium in preparing diode?

Temperature stability of silicon is good, it can withstand in temperature range typically 140C to 180C whereas Germanium is much temperature sensitive only up to 70C. 3. Low Cost: 1. Low Reverse Leakage Current:

How is germanium used as a semiconductor material?

Germanium is stable in the air and water. Also, it doesn’t react with dilute acids and alkali solutions. Like Silicon, we use Germanium also as a semiconductor material in transistors and other electronic devices. Moreover, Germanium commonly has both +4 and +2 oxidation states, but most commonly occur in +4 state.

Where are silicon and germanium in the periodic table?

Silicon and germanium, are both in the same group (group 14) of the periodic table. Hence, they have four electrons in the outer energy level.