A silicon wafer is the basic building block for integrated circuits--microchips--that control the functions of computers and nearly every other modern electronic device.
Silicon
Silicon is one of the most abundant elements on earth. It's a semimetallic element and it combines with oxygen to form common sand.
Semiconductivity
Silicon is a semiconductor, meaning its ability to conduct electricity lies between that of a conductor, such as copper, and an insulator, such as glass. Semiconductors' electrical properties make them perfect to use for integrated circuits.
Wafers
Microchip fabrication plants melt and refine sand to create ingots of 99.9999 percent pure silicon. These cylindrical ingots are sliced into wafers, each less than a millimeter thick.
Doping
Impurities added to wafers in a process known as "doping" help set their electrical conductivity to the proper level for their intended use.
Finishing
Once circuits and connections have been layered onto the wafer, the wafer is "diced"--cut into pieces for individual microchips.
Sizes
Silicon wafers are available in standard sizes of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 12 inches.
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