Why silicon and germanium are the two widely used semiconductor materials?
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Each has 4 valence electrons, but germanium will at a given temperature have more free electrons and a higher conductivity.silicon is by far the most widely used semiconductor for electronics, partly because it can be used at much higher temperatures than germanium....
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Explanation:
It is known that for conduction, availability of free electrons is necessary.
Both silicon and germanium are semiconductors and contains 4 valence electrons. This means that both of them exhibit properties of metals and non-metals.
Silicon is cheaper and can be used at higher temperatures to conduct heat and electricity.
On the other hand, germanium also has 4 valence electrons like silicon. But at certain temperature range germanium can have even more number of free electrons.
Due to this property of germanium it acts as a good conductor of heat and electricity. Though germanium cannot be used at much higher temperature like silicon but still it acts as a good conductor.
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