Silicon is a tetravalent metalloid element (atomic number 14) that forms the basis of most modern semiconductor technology and is a central topic across materials science, electronics, and solid-state physics. In crystalline form, it adopts a diamond cubic lattice, enabling precise control of its electronic band structure through doping with donors (e.g., phosphorus) or acceptors (e.g., boron) to create n- and p-type regions. Silicon’s indirect band gap, thermal stability, native oxide (SiO₂) formation, and compatibility with planar processing underpin integrated circuits, photovoltaics, and microelectromechanical systems, making it a foundational subject in research on electronic materials and device engineering.
A team of physicists has discovered a method to temporarily halt the ultrafast melting of silicon using a carefully timed sequence of laser pulses. This finding opens new possibilities for controlling material behavior under ...
General Physics
Aug 7, 2025
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Solar cells and computer chips need silicon layers that are as perfect as possible. Every imperfection in the crystalline structure increases the risk of reduced efficiency or defective switching processes.
Condensed Matter
Jul 22, 2025
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Lasers that are fabricated directly onto silicon photonic chips offer several advantages over external laser sources, such as greater scalability. Furthermore, photonic chips with these "monolithically" integrated lasers ...
Optics & Photonics
Jul 18, 2025
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In the rapidly evolving field of quantum computing, silicon spin qubits are emerging as a leading candidate for building scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computers.
Quantum Physics
May 12, 2025
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Consumer electronic devices are made from materials that we have been using for more than 60 years, mainly silicon, germanium and copper. Why have semiconductor electronics become increasingly fast over this time?
Silicon is the best-known semiconductor material. However, controlled nanostructuring drastically alters the material's properties. Using a specially developed etching apparatus, a team at HZB has now produced mesoporous ...
Nanophysics
Feb 25, 2025
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Nanoelectronics deal with extremely small electronic components—transistors, sensors and circuits that can fit on the tip of a needle. This technology powers our everyday lives through devices such as computers, smartphones ...
Nanophysics
Jan 23, 2025
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Scientists have developed the first electrically pumped continuous-wave semiconductor laser composed exclusively of elements from the fourth group of the periodic table—the "silicon group."
Optics & Photonics
Dec 9, 2024
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Whether it's our phones, cars, televisions, medical devices or even washing machines, we now have computers everywhere.
Condensed Matter
Nov 27, 2024
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Infrared imaging technology is crucial for advancing our understanding of the world, from exploring biological specimens to inspecting complex materials and detecting hidden patterns in physical systems.
Optics & Photonics
Oct 16, 2024
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