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Germanium diodes are more expensive than silicon ones, germanium is harder to process, germanium cannot be used to make integrated circuits (while early prototype integrated circuits were germanium the wiring between the integrated components cannot be integrated making it too expensive for production), germanium cannot operate with a junction temperature above 60C (silicon will operate up to 150C), and its reverse leakage current is greater. However! Germanium diodes have a lower forward voltage drop than silicon ones do, so they're better for some applications, like radio frequency detection.

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Q: Why silicon is preferred over germanium in the fabrication of p-n junction diode?
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Why is silicon is preferred is germanium?

Silicon is actually preferred to germanium within the manufacture of semiconductor devices due to the following reasons:Silicon is cheap and abundantIn silicon, leakage current is less affected by temperature as compared to germanium.The leakage current in silicon is very very small as compared to germanium.The working temperature of silicon is more than that of germanium. The working junction temperature of silicon can go as high as 150C whereas the working junction temperature of germanium can only go as high as 60CSilicon dioxide is a stable insoluble solid that can be used both to electrically insulate circuitry and to passivate junctions preventing contamination (allowing use of inexpensive plastic packages), germanium dioxide is a crumbly water soluble solid (this requires all germanium devices to be packaged in expensive metal or glass hermetically sealed cases and making germanium integrated circuits almost impossible)


Why germanium and silicon are considered as best semiconductors?

actually diamond should be much better, if fabrication issues can be solved, it is faster and will operate up to 600ºC junction temperature. Silicon is limited to 150ºC junction temperature and Germanium is limited to 50ºC to 60ºC. Germanium was originally used because it was easiest to purify and process. Silicon is the cheapest material now, it comes from sand and there is no shortage of that.


Why germanium is less used than silicon?

Germanium is costly, less abundant and there aren't as many feasible processes for it as compared to Si for fabrication.


What is difference between silicon and germanium semiconductors?

Silicon has a larger bandgap energy than germanium, which contributes to higher junction potentials and ability to operate at higher temperatures.


Why germanium and silicon are not preferred in LEDs?

A: Because the element has different property as gallium arsenide.


What is more referred to use si diode or a ge diode?

silicon diode is preferred more when compared with germanium diode because in silicon diode the operating voltage is 0.7v where as in germanium diode the operating voltage is 0.3v , germanium is temperature sensitive so it can be easily destroyed by increasing temperature hence silicon diode is preferred more


Why silicon is preferred over other materials in designing ic?

because1) knee voltage of silicon is .7V where as germanium has .3V 2)silicon breakdown take place at around 200 0C and germanium at 90 0C


Why don't we use germanium as a control device in silicon control rectifier?

Generally SCR is used at high power applications, in order to withstand the temperature dissipated in the SCR, THERMAL STABILITY is very high enough. It means that thermal stability of silicon is very high compared to germanium that's why germanium is not preferred. But that does not mean it is not possible, in fact before silicon became common in the 1960s devices equivalent to the SCR were built using germanium!


Where is germanium and silicon located in computer chips?

Germanium is not used in integrated circuits. Silicon is.


Why silicon is mostly used as a semiconductor material in electronic industry as compared to germanium and other semiconductor material?

Mostly because of their cost but also because silicon transistor have faster switching properties and are far more resistant to damage by heat. Silicon transistor also have a much wider operating band.


Can you give examples of elements that are metalloids?

The metalloids are Boron, Silicon, Germanium, Arsenic, Antimony, Tellurium, and Polonium.


What is the cut in voltage of germanium and silicon diodes?

cut in voltage *** for silicon is 0.7volts and that for germanium is 0.3volts.According to Millman and Taub, "Pulse, Digital and Switching Waveforms", McGraw-Hill 1965, the cutin (or offset, break-point or threshold) voltage for a silicon diode is 0.6, and 0.2 for germanium.Breakdown voltage is another thing entirely. It is the reverse voltage at which the junction will break down.