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Why did silicon become the preferred material for semiconductor devices?
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Silicon became the preferred material for semiconductor devices, largely supplanting germanium by the 1960s, due to several critical advantages:
- Thermal Stability: Silicon devices exhibit much lower leakage currents and can operate at significantly higher temperatures than germanium. While germanium diodes typically fail above 85 °C (185 °F), silicon diodes can function at temperatures up to 200 °C (400 °F).12
- Native Oxide Layer: A crucial factor for the development of integrated circuits is that silicon forms a high-quality, tenaciously adhering silicon dioxide (SiO₂) film when heated in oxygen. This film acts as an excellent electrical insulator and a mask during the photolithographic manufacturing process, allowing for the precise creation of tiny electronic components.12
- Abundance and Cost: Silicon is far more abundant in nature than germanium, making it a more cost-effective raw material for large-scale manufacturing.2
These properties allowed silicon technology to become highly advanced and pervasive, currently accounting for more than 95 percent of all semiconductor products sold worldwide.1