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Why are Silicon and Germanium considered elemental semiconductors, but not Carbon? (lemm.ee)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Engineer by profession/education, but semiconductor fundamentals is a huge gap in my education (long story). I bought a textbook and have been following a lecture series on youtube... but don't have anyone to ask my questions to.

Thanks! :)

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's not a metaloid, thus it doesn't conduct electricity as good as metaloids. The atoms in the grid are more closely packed.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Oh thats really interesting. I'm reading about the energy band model right now and you saying that the grid is more closely packed tied it together for me.

The bandgap is too large to be practical, i guess.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yes, the gap is higher than 7eV I belive, the absolute minimum required for an element to be considered conductive by any means. Of course, the gap may vary depending on heat and other factors.