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Why is it that though carbon is placed in group 4 A with silicon and germanium it is not a semiconductor?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Carbon is not considered a semiconductor because it lacks the properties that make a semiconductor a semiconductor. It is usually considered a fairly good conductor or electricity or an insulator, depending on which allotrope we consider. Let's dig in a bit and see what's up with that.
Carbon, in its graphite allotrope, is actually a pretty good conductor of electricity in bulk form, and it is commonly used to make brushes for electric motors. (You might recall that a brush in a motor provides a low resistance electrical connection between the rotor, which is the moving part, and the stator, which is stationary. It does this via a commutator or slip rings.) Diamond, another allotrope of carbon, is actually an electrical insulator, so it's definitely not a semiconductor.
A semiconductor is a material that is "intermediate" in its ability to conduct electricity. That ability to conduct electrons lies between that of what we consider metals and that of what we consider nonmetals. Another note is that we're talking about the ability of atoms, and not ions of the material to conduct that electron current.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
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How is the silicon applied to the silicon bracelets?
Silica is placed into an electric furnace along with coal, wood, or charcoal. The reaction of the two creates silicon. The Silicon is then placed into a desired mold and cooled, creating the silicon bracelet.
Which list of elements consists of metalloids?
elements that has both metallic and non-metallic characteristics. also known as semi-metalsthey are:Boron (B)Silicon (Si)Germanium (Ge)Arsenic (As)Antimony (Sb)Tellurium (Te)Polonium (Po)
How do you make a pure sample of germanium?
This depends on how pure you want it. For most purposes chemical reagent grade germanium is adequate and it can be purchased from most chemical supply houses quite inexpensively. For electronics purposes however you need the much purer semiconductor grade germanium which can also be purchased easily but at a higher price. There is no real reason to want to go to the trouble of making either.However I will explain the method by which reagent grade germanium is purified to semiconductor grade germanium. This requires several hundred cycles of a process called zone melting which is a form of fractional crystallization. This is performed by placing the germanium in a special elongated crucible called a graphite boat, because it is made of highly pure boron free graphite (similar to that used as the moderator in graphite moderated nuclear reactors) so that the crucible does not itself recontaminate the germanium and its long narrow shape resembling a boat. The germanium is then melted by sliding the boat through a ring shaped electrically heated furnace that melts only a narrow zone across the width of the boat, which recrystallizes as it leaves the furnace. As the boat passes through the furnace the impurities concentrate in the melted zone and when the boat is removed from the furnace leaves the impurities concentrated in that tail end of the boat that was last to leave the furnace. After roughly every 20 cycles through the furnace the graphite boat is broken up and the germanium crystal removed and the tail end is cut off and recycled as scrap because it contains too high a concentration of impurities. The germanium is now placed in a fresh graphite boat along with germanium of similar purity from other boats and processing continues until the desired semiconductor grade purity is reached.
What does Si stand for on the periodic table?
Si stands for Silicon in the Periodic Table.
Why Lithium carbon And Neon Are Placed In Period 2 in periodic table?
Lithium , carbon and neon have two shells. Hence they are placed in period 2 of the periodic table.
What is nonmetal in group 4A in the periodic table?
1. Carbon is a nonmetal. 2. Silicon and germanium are metalloids. 3. Tin and lead and flerovium are metals. 4. The title Group 4a is obsolete and incorrect after IUPAC rules; correct is Group 14.
How is the silicon applied to the silicon bracelets?
Silica is placed into an electric furnace along with coal, wood, or charcoal. The reaction of the two creates silicon. The Silicon is then placed into a desired mold and cooled, creating the silicon bracelet.
Millions of electronic components can be placed on a tiny piece of silicon is?
A microchip is millions of electronic components placed on a tiny piece of silicon.
Which family does silicon belong to?
Technically, the tetraels, but unlike other chemical "family names" such as alkali metals (s1), alkaline earth metals (s2), chalcogens (s2p4), and halogens (s2p5), I don't think I've ever heard anyone use it except as a matter of trivia to answer the specific question "What are the s2p2 elements called?"
Which list of elements consists of metalloids?
elements that has both metallic and non-metallic characteristics. also known as semi-metalsthey are:Boron (B)Silicon (Si)Germanium (Ge)Arsenic (As)Antimony (Sb)Tellurium (Te)Polonium (Po)
How do you make a pure sample of germanium?
This depends on how pure you want it. For most purposes chemical reagent grade germanium is adequate and it can be purchased from most chemical supply houses quite inexpensively. For electronics purposes however you need the much purer semiconductor grade germanium which can also be purchased easily but at a higher price. There is no real reason to want to go to the trouble of making either.However I will explain the method by which reagent grade germanium is purified to semiconductor grade germanium. This requires several hundred cycles of a process called zone melting which is a form of fractional crystallization. This is performed by placing the germanium in a special elongated crucible called a graphite boat, because it is made of highly pure boron free graphite (similar to that used as the moderator in graphite moderated nuclear reactors) so that the crucible does not itself recontaminate the germanium and its long narrow shape resembling a boat. The germanium is then melted by sliding the boat through a ring shaped electrically heated furnace that melts only a narrow zone across the width of the boat, which recrystallizes as it leaves the furnace. As the boat passes through the furnace the impurities concentrate in the melted zone and when the boat is removed from the furnace leaves the impurities concentrated in that tail end of the boat that was last to leave the furnace. After roughly every 20 cycles through the furnace the graphite boat is broken up and the germanium crystal removed and the tail end is cut off and recycled as scrap because it contains too high a concentration of impurities. The germanium is now placed in a fresh graphite boat along with germanium of similar purity from other boats and processing continues until the desired semiconductor grade purity is reached.
Acceptor atom create in semiconductor crystals?
If an acceptor atom is placed in a pure semiconductor, it will accept one or more electrons from the valence band of the semiconductor. This will permit positive holes in the conduction band to carry electrical current - the overall result is that the material will behave as a p-type semiconductor.
What element is after aluminum?
In the periodic table of Mendeleev silicon is placed after aluminium.
What is the name of the family that carbon belongs to?
Carbon is placed in the carbon group.
What is a Microprocessor made of?
A microchip is an implant that identifies circuits and are placed under the skin of an animal. It is made of silicon.
What does Si stand for on the periodic table?
Si stands for Silicon in the Periodic Table.
How are diodes produced?
In the simplest method, you can start with a doped semiconductor substrate, such as p-type Silicon. You can then grow a native oxide layer (SiO2) on top of the substrate. Then, you can use photolithography (with photoresist and masks) to create a window in the oxide. The substrate is then placed into a high-temperature furnace where a dopant, in this case n-type such as P, is flowed past the substrate. The P is in some gas phase and may be bonded to other atoms, but a reaction occurs causing the P to enter the Semiconductor and diffuse into the semiconductor. This creates a p-n junction. Contacts can then be placed on the appropriate materials. Of course, this is a very basic description that you will find in any textbook. In modern day diodes, there is a lot more technology and device structures that improve the performance dramatically.
