Silicon is a chemical element and the most widely used natural semiconductor in modern technology. Silicon can easily bond to oxygen, so it’s seldom found in its pure form in nature, however, it still makes up nearly 30% of the Earth’s crust, making it the second most abundant element on our planet.
Using silicon as a semiconductor material has several advantages. For starters, silicon is not just abundant; despite the high energy consumption of the manufacturing process, it’s also relatively straightforward to purify when compared to other semiconductor materials. Silicon also offers a wide range of current handling capacity, which is excellent for electron transfer.
The combination of abundant supply and ease of manufacturing makes silicon a cost-effective option for making integrated circuits. This is why most electronic devices today contain some form of silicon.
Silicon is used in most modern technology. From the simple to the complex, silicon is a crucial component in many applications, including:
Using silicon as a semiconductor material has several advantages. For starters, silicon is not just abundant; despite the high energy consumption of the manufacturing process, it’s also relatively straightforward to purify when compared to other semiconductor materials. Silicon also offers a wide range of current handling capacity, which is excellent for electron transfer.