Why is Germanium Making a Comeback in the Semiconductor Industry?

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August 10, 2020

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Germanium was so popular back in the postwar years. It was the material used for building early transistors. But ever since silicon got discovered, it became the material of choice for memory and logic chips. Thanks to today's advanced fabrication technology, the Germanium wafer is making a comeback and is now considered a competitive material for making chips. It has excellent charge-carrying abilities, good chemical stability, and strong corrosion resistance. Apart from these qualities, let's find out why Germanium is making a comeback in the semiconductor industry.

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Why is Germanium Making a Comeback in the Semiconductor Industry?

It Has Many Excellent Properties

Germanium has many excellent properties. That's why it's used for manufacturing semiconductor devices, solar cell substrates, and infrared optics.

  • It has excellent charge-carrying abilities
  • Good chemical stability
  • Easy to process
  • Strong disintegration resistance
  • High refractive ratio
  • Excellent radiation resistance
  • Uniform transmittance
  • High frequency
  • Exceptional photoelectric performance

It Has Exceptional Mobility

At room temperature, the electrons present in Germanium are three times more mobile than the electrons present in silicon. The holes present in Germanium also move about four times more readily.

It's Highly Efficient

Because the electrons and holes present in a Germanium wafer are so mobile, it's the perfect material for creating CMOS circuits. CMOS uses two different types of transistors: pFET and nFET. The faster electrons and holes travel through these transistors, the better the resulting circuits can be. It also requires less voltage to generate charge carriers. This means it consumes less energy, making it very efficient.

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Looking for a Germanium Wafer?

Germanium wafers have excellent properties. That's why it's making a comeback in the semiconductor industry. If you're considering using a Germanium wafer in one of your projects, don't hesitate to get them from Wafer World! We offer high-quality wafers at a reasonable price. Contact us for inquires!

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