Silicon
0201201-191
[DEFINITION]
A high-purity semiconductor material obtained by the Czockralski
(crystal pulling) method or zone melting method after purifying raw silicon produced by reducing
silica rock with coke.
[DESCRIPTION]
Silicon is a semiconductor material used widely in integrated
circuits (ICs) and large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs), etc., and is being developed for use in
micromachines. Silicon is the main material for micromachines as it offers mechanical advantages
such as lightness, high tensile strength, and good corrosion resistance. Also, mechanical
components and electrical components can coexist on silicon, and silicon is backed up by
micromachining know-how developed from semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing. Silicon is
used widely in such forms as single crystal silicon, polycrystal silicon (polysilicon), silicon
nitrides, and silicon oxides. Much research and trial production is carried out into silicon-based
micromechanisms such as gears, micro-electrostatic motors made of polycrystal silicon, and comb-like
linear electrostatic actuators. Silicon has a density of 2.3 g/cm3, a strength of 7 GPa, and a
melting point of 1414℃.
[References]
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[Related Terms]
Silicon process, Electrostatic motor