What is a silicon wafer

Features of silicon wafer

Silicon wafer is a material used for producing semiconductors, which can be found in all types of electronic devices that improve the lives of people. Silicon comes second as the most common element in the universe; it is mostly used as a semiconductor in the technology and electronic sector.

Most people have had the chance to encounter a real silicon wafer in their life. This super-flat disk is refined to a mirror-like surface. Besides, it is also made of subtle surface irregularities which make it the flattest object worldwide.

It is also extremely clean, free of impurities and micro-particles, qualities that are essential in making it the perfect substrate material of the modern semiconductors.

Silicon manufacturing method

There are various methods used in silicon fabrication counting the horizontal Bridgeman method, horizontal gradient freeze method, vertical gradient freeze, vertical Bridgeman method and the Czochralski pulling method.

All through the growth process dopants can be included to modify the purity of the silicon wafer depending on its manufacturing purpose. The impurities can alter silicon electronic properties which are essential depending on the purpose of its production.

Some of the silicon dopants that can be added throughout the growth process include aluminum, boron, nitrogen, indium and gallium. A semiconductor can be regarded as either degenerate or extrinsic depending on the level the silicon wafer was, when the dopants were added.

During the fabrication process, degenerate semiconductors are mainly used as conductors due to the extreme levels of doping while extrinsic are lightly to fairly doped.