Transistors
Rain Zheng
Primary Material:
Silicon (highly pure)
Performance Properties
●
Is a semiconductor, so its
electrical properties can be
manipulated with other
elements[1]
●
Low reactivity (at typical
temperatures) [2]
●
Hard and brittle [2]
Cost
Availability
● One 12 inch diameter,
775 micrometer thick
wafer can cost $81 [3]
● Silicon is the second
most abundant
element in the earth’s
crust [2]
● Found easily in sand
and rocks [1]
● $0.60 per gram [3]
● Very expensive
compared to a
common material like
steel
[1] Royal Society of Chemistry, n.d, “Silicon.” from https://periodic-table.rsc.org/element/14/silicon
[2]Britannica Editors, 2025, “silicon.” from https://www.britannica.com/science/silicon/Uses
[3]Wafer Pro, 2026, “12in (300mm) Polished Silicon Wafer.” from
https://waferpro.com/product/12-inch-300mm-polished-silicon-wafer/