Silicon when was it discovered

These crystals, when doped with elements such as boron , gallium , germanium , phosphorus or arsenic , are used in the manufacture of solid-state electronic devices, such as transistors, solar cells, rectifiers and microchips.

Silicon dioxide SiO 2 , silicon's most common compound, is the most abundant compound in the earth's crust. It commonly takes the form of ordinary sand, but also exists as quartz, rock crystal, amethyst, agate, flint, jasper and opal. Silicon dioxide is extensively used in the manufacture of glass and bricks.

Silica gel, a colloidal form of silicon dioxide, easily absorbs moisture and is used as a desiccant. Silicon forms other useful compounds. Silicon carbide SiC is nearly as hard as diamond and is used as an abrasive. Sodium silicate Na 2 SiO 3 , also known as water glass, is used in the production of soaps, adhesives and as an egg preservative. Silicon is formed through the oxygen-burning process in stars. Silicon reacts with oxygen to make silicon dioxide or silicates. Silicon is rarely found in pure form.

Group of minerals composed of silicon and oxygen are named silica. Silica is mostly found in crystalline state. Silicon is a brittle and hard crystalline solid.

It has blue-grey metallic lustre. Silicon, in comparison with neighbouring elements in the periodic table, is unreactive. The symbol for silicon is Si with atomic number It has a very high melting and boiling point. At standard conditions silicon also makes a giant covalent structure like other group 14 elements of periodic table do. At room temperature, pure silicon acts as an insulator. Silicon is a semiconductor at standard temperature and pressure.

Silicon is inert in crystalline form at low temperatures. Its conductivity increases with high temperature. Silicon readily reacts with oxygen [2]. It reacts with air above degree centigrade. Melted silicon becomes very reactive and has to be stored in unreactive, refractory material to avoid any chemical reaction.

Silicon is slightly hazardous. If crystalline silica is inhaled, it may lead to lung disease such as asthma or inflammation in upper lobes of lungs. Exposure of elemental silicon can cause eye or skin irritation. Silicon has three stable isotopes; Si, Si and Si Of these three naturally occurring isotopes Si is the most abundant as it is produced in stars as well as during nuclear fusion reaction. So far twenty radioisotopes of silicon have been characterized. Most of these radioisotopes have half-life of few seconds only.

High-purity monocrystalline silicon is an important semiconductor material that can be used as a solar cell to convert radiant energy into electrical energy, which is a promising material in the development of energy.

Silicon can also be made into cermet composites, which are resistant to high temperatures, toughness, and can be cut. They not only inherit the respective advantages of metals and ceramics, but also make up for the inherent defects of both, and can be applied to weapons manufacturing and aerospace.

Pure silica can be used to draw high transparency glass fiber for optical fiber communication, which is the latest modern communication means. Stanford Advanced Materials SAM Corporation is a global supplier of various sputtering targets such as metals, alloys, oxides, ceramic materials.