The most commonly used semiconductor is _______.

Question

Examoogle · Accepted Answer

Silicon

Explanation: Silicon is the most widely used semiconductor material in the electronics industry due to its abundance in nature and superior thermal stability. It forms the foundation for modern integrated circuits (ICs), transistors, and diodes.

Working Principle: Silicon has an atomic number of 14, possessing four valence electrons that create a stable crystal lattice structure via covalent bonding. Compared to Germanium, Silicon has a larger bandgap energy ($E_g \approx 1.1 	ext{ eV}$), which allows electronic devices to operate reliably at higher temperatures without excessive thermal carrier generation.

Key Formulas: $E_g = 1.1 	ext{ eV}$ — Bandgap energy of Silicon at 300K; $I = I_0 (e^{\frac{V}{\eta V_T}} - 1)$ — Diode current equation defining temperature dependence

Key Points: Silicon is an elemental semiconductor found in silica (sand).; It has a high melting point ($1414^\circ	ext{C}$), facilitating high-temperature device operation.; The native oxide ($SiO_2$) of Silicon is an excellent insulator, crucial for MOSFET fabrication.; Germanium was used in early electronics but is now mostly replaced by Silicon.

Advantages: High abundance and low cost; Stable performance at higher temperatures; Formation of high-quality native oxide layer

Disadvantages: Lower electron mobility compared to some compound semiconductors (like GaAs); Indirect bandgap limits efficiency in light emission (LED/Lasers)

Applications: Integrated circuits (microprocessors); Diodes and Transistors (BJT, MOSFET); Photovoltaic solar cells

Additional Info: Silicon dominates over 90% of the semiconductor device market.. Option A (Germanium) is sensitive to temperature and prone to leakage currents.. Option C (Carbon) in its diamond form is a wide-bandgap semiconductor but difficult to process.. Option D (Sulphur) is generally an insulator.

Answer: B is correct — Silicon is the most commonly used semiconductor due to its excellent thermal stability, abundance, and the ease of manufacturing high-quality native oxides.

Exam Tip: In competitive exams, remember that Silicon's cut-in voltage is $0.7	ext{V}$ while Germanium's is $0.3	ext{V}$; this is a frequent point of comparison in questions regarding power dissipation.

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