Computer hardware materials?

[benki]

First post and it's a quick question

 

Why is computer hardware only created out of silicon?

 

Why isn't computer hardware created out of nanomaterials (or any other kind of material, for the sake of argument)

 

[T.Vengeance]

Welcome to the forums! 

 

It's cause silicon can be doped with impurities. Those impurities allow us to create P-type and N-type semiconductors which is the basis for transistors and diodes.

[Ertman]

They are working on using other materials, it's just hasn't got to the point where mass production would be economically feasible, or achieve enough benefits to justify a switch.

[bob345]

companies are experimenting with nano materials like graphene and carbon nano tubes but as far as i know there is no manufacturing process that has been found that can practically make chips with them yet

[AlwaysFSX]

They are working on using other materials, it's just hasn't got to the point where mass production would be economically feasible, or achieve enough benefits to justify a switch.

Graphene I believe it is. It's got much better performance in all areas over Silicon but it's production is still too expensive for mass production right now.

[Glenwing]

First post and it's a quick question

 

Why is computer hardware only created out of silicon?

 

Why isn't computer hardware created out of nanomaterials (or any other kind of material, for the sake of argument)

 

Carbon isn't a natural semiconductor, which is a requirement for digital communication.  Silicon is.  Transistors have used other materials in the past (such as Germanium in original transistors) but those were superseded by Silicon which is superior, and it's the best we've got in mass production right now.  While it is possible to modify carbon/graphene to be a semiconductor, and there are several methods of doing so, to replace Silicon there are some conditions.  We need a process that has high precision and can be used at very small transistor sizes like we use for our current microprocessors, and can be scaled up to mass production which means a high level of automation, inexpensive (relatively), and acceptably high yields.  Then once you develop that process, you need to build the fabrication plants to begin production which will take several years in itself, and cost billions of dollars.  It's a significant investment.

 

Basically, it's in the works.  We use Silicon right now because we've figured out how to use it and we're set up for that already.  You're right, we have found other viable materials, but it takes more than a lab discovery and a snap of a finger to transition to new materials.  It'll come with time (and the sweat and blood of engineers ).

[Ertman]

Graphene I believe it is. It's got much better performance in all areas over Silicon but it's production is still too expensive for mass production right now.

 

Yep. Like you said, its one of the ones that have much better performance, but it still isn't ready from economical production.