It seems fair to say that semiconductor technology has been one of the most influential inventions in human history. Practically overnight it turned human technology from being large, cumbersome and power-hungry into an increasingly sleeker, more power-efficient and much more capable form. It has become practically impossible at this point to imagine modern society without semiconductor technology.
That said, we didn’t always use today’s silicon-based semiconductor technology, and although silicon-based semiconductors are exceedingly versatile and adaptable, they do have their limitations. The past years we have seen for example gallium-nitride semiconductors make big inroads in power switching technology, and more exotic forms like diamond-based semiconductors keep making their tantalizing appearances.
In this article we’ll take a look at how we ended up at silicon as the default for semiconductor technology, as well as why we may want to consider moving to other materials.
Continue reading “From Germanium To Diamond: The Many Shapes Of Semiconductors”
