Integrated Circuits

10 Interesting Facts About Silicon Wafers

1. In technology, Silicon Wafers are used in different kinds of digital devices, such as your everyday smart phones, computers and televisions. The integrated circuits themselves are made of silicon, the second most abundant element in the world and seventh in the universe. Such element is very versatile and flexible in terms of availability and a keen source of material used in many forms of technology and everyday materials. As uninteresting as it may seem, there are ten very interesting facts that determines, what silicon wafers are really all about.

2. Silicon Wafers are also called semiconductors. They are hybrids of both insulators and metals that would either be conducted by electricity or not. But these semiconductors don’t only rely on silicon, not solely specifically. Other elements include Germanium, Indium Phosphide, Sapphire and Quartz.

3. Silicon wafers come in various varieties in diameters. The very first semiconductor wafer, manufactured in the U.S. in 1960, had a diameter of a mere 1 inch. In the modern era standard wafers go up to 12 inches to 18 inches.

4. The United States lead the Silicon wafer market share; having 51% of global shares alone compared to all the countries in the world. This is due to the fact the United States having a progressive and industrialized economy that far exceeds opposing factories overseas. Silicon wafers then are distributed around the world to countries like Japan, Germany and Russia for further branding.

5. Silicon wafers used in integrated circuits must be simplified to a dominant and higher “nines” purity (%99.9999), a sequence which would need repeated application of simplifying technology.

6. How silicon wafers are made is very interesting. It is melted and re-solidified for 100% purity. Earliest methods of purification of silicon, emphatically crushes metallurgical grade silicon and then dissolving it in acid. This causes the impurity-defined silicon taken its impartiality and be more purified.

7. Silicon, the element semiconductor wafers are made of, is discovered by Jacob Berzelius, a Swedish chemist, in 1824, by applying heat in potassium chips that are contained in silica flasks and carefully rinsing away residual by-products. In today’s scientific, functioning world, we heat sand with carbon to temperature meeting at 2200 degrees Celsius to produce Silicon.

8. Water is the key component of manufacturing Silicon wafers. It is a compound that basically is a general solvent for all substances, silicon included. A large production facility uses up to 4.8 million of gallons of water everyday to supply Silicon wafers for manufacturing needs and supply.

9. Industries spend approximately $1 billion on water to supply for silicon wafers. Through the process of reduction, recycling and reusing water in factories and power plants alone gives a clear incentive as how the semiconductor business really tops, as one of the best and profitable business in the hierarchy of businesses.

10. Silicon is used in semiconductor wafers in technologies across the globe, because it is the most durable and functions in extreme temperatures; especially inside processing units and mobile devices.

11. Silicon Wafers are included in the Integrated circuit’s life span in the generation of computers, which are still used today in the modern era. Vacuum tubes are alternatives that were invented and used 50 years ago, but was abolished for integrated circuits are much more reliable and compact compared to the old and bulky 1950’s vacuum tubes.

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    Reference: WaferPro