Why is Germanium a pure semiconductor?

The Germanium element is not doped with any impurities. Hence, it is an intrinsic semiconductor.So, Germanium is an example of an intrinsic semiconductor.

What determines the amount of current flow in a pure semiconductor?

The current flow in an intrinsic semiconductor is influenced by the density of energy states which in turn influences the electron density in the conduction band. This current is highly temperature dependent.

What keeps current flowing?

Electric current is flow of electrons in a conductor. The force required to make current flow through a conductor is called voltage and potential is the other term of voltage. For example, the first element has more positive charges, so it has higher potential.

Which way does current really flow?

The direction of an electric current is by convention the direction in which a positive charge would move. Thus, the current in the external circuit is directed away from the positive terminal and toward the negative terminal of the battery. Electrons would actually move through the wires in the opposite direction.

What can germanium be used for?

In addition to its applications in electronic devices, germanium is used as a component of alloys and in phosphors for fluorescent lamps. Because germanium is transparent to infrared radiation, it is employed in equipment used for detecting and measuring such radiation, such as windows and lenses.

Is germanium a pure substance?

Germanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ge and atomic number 32. It is a lustrous, hard-brittle, grayish-white metalloid in the carbon group, chemically similar to its group neighbors silicon and tin. Pure germanium is a semiconductor with an appearance similar to elemental silicon.

How does the current flow in semiconductor?

Current flow in a semiconductor arises from the motion of charge carriers in both the conduction and valence bands. The current is in general made up of two components, drift current and diffusion current, although in certain instances one or other of these two components may predominate.

Which is the responsible of current flow in a semiconductor?

Holes
Holes and Electrons in Semiconductors:In semiconductors, charge carriers such as holes and electrons are responsible for current flow. Electrons are negatively charged particles, whereas holes are positively charged electric charge carriers.

How can we stop electricity flowing?

You can stop the current from flowing by putting a switch into the circuit. You can open the circuit and stop electrons from moving. A piece of metal or wire can also be used to produce heat. When an electrical current passes through such metal it can be slowed down by resistance.

Can electricity flow 2 ways?

No, you cannot have multiple currents flowing in different directions in the same wire because all real wires have resistance. It will lead to inconsistencies with respect to other considerations, such as power dissipation.

What is the resistivity of germanium?

Like the element silicon, germanium also reacts with oxygen to form complexes in nature. Pure germanium is found to have a resistivity with a value of 60 ohm-centimeters. Unlike the resistors, the resistivity of the various semiconductors decreases when there is an increase in the temperature.

How did the use of germanium increase after the invention of doping?

The use of germanium increased after the invention of doping. The resistivity of the element germanium could be lowered by adding a small quantity of other different substances. By lowering germanium’s resistivity, it increased the ability of germanium to conduct electricity.

Why are silicon and germanium used as insulators?

Germanium and silicon crystals function as insulators at low temperatures. As the temperature increases, the valence electrons become agitated. Some of the electrons break the covalent bonds and drift randomly from one atom to the next. These free electrons are able to carry a small amount of electrical current if an electrical voltage is applied.