Question

Difference between an insulator diamond and a semiconductor silicon

Answer 1

Answer:

The diamond form of carbon is an insulator with Eg = 5.5 eV, while silicon is an intrinsic semiconductor with Eg = 1.1 eV.

Diamond is an insulator because it is not easy to supply enough energy to pull the covalent-bond electrons loose and permit them to conduct electricity through the crystal. Less energy is required to free the electrons in silicon. These atoms are larger and hold their electrons less tightly. They are not conductors in the metallic sense of the word, but are semiconductors.