In semiconductor materials, why does silicon play a crucial role?
Silicon, represented by the chemical symbol SI, is a fundamental element with an atomic number of 14 and a relative atomic mass of 28.0855. anti vibration table...
Silicon, represented by the chemical symbol SI, is a fundamental element with an atomic number of 14 and a relative atomic mass of 28.0855. anti vibration table It falls under the third periodic table period, in the Iva family of metallic elements. However, it was previously known as simply silicon. While it is a commonly found element in the universe, it is rarely found in its elemental form in nature. Instead, it is usually present as complex silicates or silicon dioxide in rocks, gravel, and dust. On a cosmic scale, silicon ranks eighth in abundance. On Earth, it is the second most prevalent element in the crust after oxygen (which makes up 49.4% of the crust), making up 26.4% of its total mass.
In addition to crystalline silicon, amorphous silicon exists in two allotropes. Insoluble in water, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, and alkaline solution, crystalline silicon belongs to atomic crystals. semiconductor test It is gray-black, amorphous silicon is black, and crystalline silicon belongs to atomic crystals. Hard and metallic in nature.
As a nonmetallic material, silicon can be directly dissolved in alkaline metal hydroxide solutions to produce (partial) varate and hydrogen.
Silicon has steadily become the material of choice for semiconductor devices, voltage probe from transistors to today's highly integrated chips.
Silicon availability and abundance
From an economic point of view, collecting and processing silicon on a large scale is very feasible since silicon is the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust after oxygen. Silicon has the advantage of being abundant compared to other rare or expensive materials, making it an ideal material for semiconductors.
The properties of silicon as a semiconductor
There is neither a good conductor nor an insulator in silicon. Silicon is an inherently semiconductor material with a moderate band gap. Because its electrical conductivity can be modulated by doping techniques, it is an ideal material for making transistors and other components.
Maturity and reliability of technology development
Silicon-based semiconductors have been manufactured and processed using a variety of processes and technologies over the years. This means silicon as a semiconductor material is less risky and more reliable. Manufacturers can greatly reduce production costs and time by using widely accepted and proven materials.
Silicon's thermal stability
Several applications require semiconductor components to operate at high temperatures. Silicon has excellent thermal stability and can tolerate high temperatures without losing its semiconductor properties. High-performance computing and other high-temperature applications benefit from silicon's thermal stability.
Silicon dioxide and silicon interface properties
During exposure to oxygen, silicon will form a thin, uniform layer of silicon oxide. The oxide layer not only protects silicon, but also has excellent electrical properties, making it popular in many semiconductor applications. A number of high-performance semiconductor applications require a clear and high-quality interface between silicon and silicon dioxide.
Technology of silicon integrated circuits
Integrated system circuits based on silicon are getting bigger and bigger as technology advances, and the degree of integration is also getting higher and higher. In other words, more of our function and capability analysis can be implemented on a small chip. The characteristics of silicon make it more adaptable to the growth of social integration to meet the needs of modern design computing and communication network applications in China.
Silicon's photoelectric properties
The rise of optoelectronics and optical computing has sparked interest in the optical features of silicon materials. Although not the premier choice for optoelectronic applications, strategies have been devised to utilize its capabilities for optical interconnection, light detection, and other purposes. Through innovative combinations with other materials, silicon has become a vital component of silicon photonics technology, an emerging sector focused on delivering streamlined and proficient optical communication solutions.
The environment should be protected
In the context of increasing concern for the environment and sustainability, silicon has clear advantages as a natural yet abundant material. Mining and processing silicon have relatively little impact on the environment compared to other materials. After use, silicon components can also be recycled and reused easily.
Integration of multiple functions
In addition to electronic devices, silicon technology has many other applications. Since silicon has a wide range of physical and chemical properties, it can be combined with a wide range of sensors, mechanical components, and other components to produce integrated systems. As a result, silicon can be utilized in areas such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and Lab-on-a-Chip.