Why is germanium used as a semiconductor?
Germanium atoms have one more shell than silicon atoms, but what makes for the interesting semiconductor properties is the fact that both have four electrons in the valence shell. As a consequence, both materials readily constitute themselves as crystal lattices. The process of adding these atoms is known as doping.
Is germanium a conductor or semiconductor?
Germanium is a semiconductor.
What type of semiconductor is germanium?
intrinsic semiconductor
The semiconductor material made up of only a single type of element is an intrinsic semiconductor, which is made to be pure chemically. For example, germanium (Ge) and Silicon (Si) have four valence electrons known as tetravalent elements are the most common type of intrinsic semiconductor materials.
Is germanium a good semiconductor?
Pure germanium is a semiconductor with an appearance similar to elemental silicon. Germanium is widely used for gamma ray spectroscopy. In gamma spectroscopy, germanium is preferred due to its atomic number being much higher than silicon and which increases the probability of gamma ray interaction.
Which is a better semiconductor silicon or germanium?
Silicon. Each has four valence electrons, but germanium will at a given temperature have more free electrons and a higher conductivity. Silicon is by far the more widely used semiconductor for electronics, partly because it can be used at much higher temperatures than germanium.
Why are silicon and germanium atoms in the same column?
Since they are in the same column, we know that silicon and germanium have the same number of electrons in their outer or valence shell. Germanium atoms have one more shell than silicon atoms, but what makes for the interesting semiconductor properties is the fact that both have four electrons in the valence shell.
What kind of dopants are used for silicon and germanium?
Dopants that have three valence electrons and make p-type semiconductors are boron, aluminum and gallium. The same dopants are used for both silicon and germanium semiconductors. Silicon atoms have four electrons which can be shared in covalent bonds with neighboring atoms.
Why are silicon atoms less expensive than other semiconductors?
Silicon atoms have four electrons which can be shared in covalent bonds with neighboring atoms. Silicon is the principal component of common sand, and for this reason it is less expensive than other intrinsic semiconductor materials. But in such small quantities, raw material cost is not always decisive.
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