Because the space charge region or depletion region is small in germanium compared to silicon hence leakage current is more in germanium than silicon
Germanium diodes have a lower forward voltage drop compared to silicon diodes, making them suitable for low voltage applications. However, they have higher leakage current and are more temperature sensitive. Silicon diodes, on the other hand, have higher forward voltage drop but are more stable over a wider temperature range and have lower leakage current.
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.
The temperature sensitivity of silicon is less than germanium because silicon has a wider energy band gap than germanium. This wider band gap allows silicon to operate more efficiently at higher temperatures, resulting in less temperature-dependent changes in its electrical properties compared to germanium. Additionally, silicon has a higher thermal conductivity than germanium, which helps dissipate heat more effectively, reducing temperature effects on its performance.
Neon has more protons than silicon. Neon has 10 protons, while silicon has 14 protons.
The six commonly recognized metalloids are boron, silicon, germanium, arsenic, antimony, and tellurium.
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.
Germanium diodes have a lower forward voltage drop compared to silicon diodes, making them suitable for low voltage applications. However, they have higher leakage current and are more temperature sensitive. Silicon diodes, on the other hand, have higher forward voltage drop but are more stable over a wider temperature range and have lower leakage current.
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)
Germanium has four number of shells while Silicon has three number of shell. therefore for germanium less energy is required to move the electron from valence band to conduction band if compared to silicon. So at room temperature for germanium their are more number of electrons present in conduction bond hence more number of holes present in the valence energy band. Due to movement of holes reverse saturation current is produced. Their is more number of hole movement in germanium comparatively therefore reverse saturation current is more than silicon for germanium. You may refer to Electronic Devices and Circuits by Allen Mottershead Regards, Zain Ijaz UCTI, Malaysia Mechatronic Engineer.
Though germanium diodes were the first ones fabricated, several factors make silicon the choice vs. germanium diodes. Silicon diodes have a greater ease of processing, lower cost, greater power handling, less leakage and more stable temperature characteristics than germanium diodes. Germanium diodes' lower forward drop (.2V to .3V versus .7V to 1.0V) make them better at small signal detection and rectification.
Silicon transistors are preferred to germanium transistors because they exhibit higher thermal stability and are less prone to temperature variations. Silicon transistors also have a higher maximum operating temperature, improved frequency response, and are more reliable in terms of long-term performance. Additionally, silicon is more abundant and easier to work with in manufacturing processes compared to germanium.
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.
Germanium is not commonly used in the fabrication of thyristors primarily due to its lower thermal stability and higher leakage current compared to silicon. Silicon's superior electrical properties, including a wider bandgap and better temperature handling, make it more suitable for high-power applications. Additionally, silicon's well-established manufacturing processes and availability further enhance its preference over germanium in thyristor production. As a result, silicon-based thyristors are more reliable and efficient for modern electronic applications.
Silicon is more abundant than germanium and can operate at higher temperatures, making it more suitable for a wider range of applications. Additionally, silicon has a higher bandgap energy, which results in lower leakage currents and allows for greater integration density in electronic devices.
germanium
Silicon (Si) diodes are more commonly used than germanium (Ge) diodes. Silicon diodes are preferred for most applications due to their higher temperature tolerance, lower leakage current, and greater availability. They are commonly used in rectifiers, signal processing, and various electronic circuits. Germanium diodes, while having some advantages in specific applications (such as lower forward voltage drop), are less common in modern electronics.
products made by silicon are more stable than those made by germanium