I study engineering and when learning about all types of electronics, I always hear about silicon being used. What’s so special about it?
Additionally, I just read about a new particle accelerator which is the size of a penny, which also uses a silicon channel to accelerate the particle. What’s so special about silicon?
Thanks in advance
In: Physics
1. It is a semiconductor. This property means that the resistance (how much electricity can flow) can be changed based on factors like the direction of current flow (in diodes) and how voltage is applied to it (in transistors)
2. It is a common element, quartz sand is mostly silicon dioxide, with lots of specialist equipment and prossessing we can make extremely pure crystals of silicon [like this](https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-m&sca_esv=47bbd2a2bf8cf0cc&biw=360&bih=667&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=pure+silicon+crystal+for+chip+manufacturing+&oq=pure+silicon+crystal+for+chip+manufacturing+&aqs=mobile-gws-lite..#imgrc=N9s2dX_wiG73MM) that can be used in microprocessors. There are other elements, such as germanium, that have similar electrical properties, but these are rarer and therefore more expensive than silicon.
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