(Si) The base material used in chips. Next to oxygen, it is the most abundant element in nature and is found in a natural state in rocks and sand. Its atomic structure and availability make it an ideal semiconductor material. In chip making, it is mined from white quartz rocks and put through a chemical process at high temperatures to purify it. To alter its electrical properties, it is mixed (doped) with other chemicals in a molten state. See silicon germanium and silicone.
A Silicon Moon
This intriguing picture, which looks like it was shot from the moon, symbolizes the fact that chips are made from the same material that is also found in sand. The \"moon\" is a finished wafer full of memory chips. (Image courtesy of Texas Instruments, Inc.)
Drawing the Silicon Ingot
This picture shows the drawing of a silicon ingot in a fiery furnace containing molten silicon. Special high-speed saws slice the ingots into wafers about the thickness of a dime. They are then ground thinner and polished mirror smooth. (Image courtesy of Texas Instruments, Inc.)
A Silicon Moon
This intriguing picture, which looks like it was shot from the moon, symbolizes the fact that chips are made from the same material that is also found in sand. The \"moon\" is a finished wafer full of memory chips. (Image courtesy of Texas Instruments, Inc.)
Drawing the Silicon Ingot
This picture shows the drawing of a silicon ingot in a fiery furnace containing molten silicon. Special high-speed saws slice the ingots into wafers about the thickness of a dime. They are then ground thinner and polished mirror smooth. (Image courtesy of Texas Instruments, Inc.)
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2008 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Gore's latest attention-getting challenge: Eliminate fossil fuels as an electricity source by 2018
- Since my blogging buddy Harry Fuller is on vacation this week, I need to pick up the gauntlet and ensure that we've got some good political fodder for those of you who want to debate the existence of global warming and the necessity of reducing our dependence on foreign oil....
- Blog posts 2008-07-18
- News to know: Google, Microsoft; AMD; Cybercrime arrest
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- Blog posts 2008-07-18
- Intel's Centrino 2 + WiMAX could break the Luddite Telcos
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- Blog posts 2008-07-16
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- Just so we understand each other, the Internet is like a series of tubes, kind of like tunnels. And large amounts of data get moved through those tunnels, like in the back of a truck, you see. And inside those tunnels, there are advertisements - sort of like the billboards...
- Blog posts 2008-07-15
- Welcome Sam Diaz
- I'm pleased to announce that ZDNet has added another contributor to Between the Lines. Sam Diaz is our new senior editor based in San Francisco. Sam has been a technology and business blogger, reporter and editor at the Washington Post, San Jose Mercury News and Fresno Bee...
- Blog posts 2008-07-15
- 10 things we'd change on the iPhone 3G
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- News items 2008-07-15
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- Discussion threads 2008-07-11
- iPhone 3G poses barriers to business adoption
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- News items 2008-07-11
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- Blog posts 2008-07-09
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- Blog posts 2008-07-08
- Five realities of Google or any other Workplace Wonderland
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- Discussion threads 2008-07-02
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- Notable headlines: Larry Dignan: Microsoft's search plan: It's about semantics and possibly for naught. Dennis Howlett: Powerset's smarts are Microsoft's gain Paul Miller: Powerset really does go to Microsoft... but for how much? Mary Jo Foley: Confirmed: Microsoft buys Powerset natural-language search...
- Blog posts 2008-07-02
- Could Twitter become the next PayPal?
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- Blog posts 2008-07-01
- News to know: Apple patches; Adobe; XP-Vista; Yahoo
- Notable headlines: Ryan Naraine: Apple plugs 25 Mac OS X security vulnerabilities. David Morgenstern: Apple releases Leopard 10.5.4 update Apple update notice. Robin Harris: Why computers fail Adobe: Adobe Advances Rich Media Search on the Web ...
- Blog posts 2008-07-01
- Swiss solar firm has come ashore in the New World
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- Discussion threads 2008-07-01
- Solar power, no money down, could prove profitable
- You get a solar installation, you could get positive cash flow, and you pay no money down. Sounds like an offer you might read in some spam note from Bulgaria. But it's a legitimate offer from an legitimate cleantech company in California and Arizona. Solar...
- Blog posts 2008-06-30
- Swiss solar firm has come ashore in the New World
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- Blog posts 2008-06-30
- The lighter side of Bill Gates
- As you all probably know, considering the 2 year lead-up to today and the considerable press coverage, it's Bill Gates' last day at Microsoft. I'd like to take a slightly different spin on covering his career and life, by pointing out the stupid stuff, in the hope it will appeal...
- Blog posts 2008-06-27
- Bill Gates: Saving the world is easier than saving Microsoft?
- I was shocked when I first heard that Bill Gates was going to move much of his time away from Microsoft and devote it to giving away money. MSFT is doing well financially but its short to long term prospects are challenging to say the least. The...
- Blog posts 2008-06-27
- U.S. tech sector jobs show strong growth, but lack of engineers could hurt in future
- The U.S. continues to produce a growing number of high-paying tech jobs, with the top locations being New York City, Silicon Valley, and Seattle, according to AeA's Cybercities report. Nevertheless, the report also points to a labor problem that could threaten America's tech leadership. by Jason Hiner
- Blog posts 2008-06-26
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