Question about the electrical conductivity of quartz?

Question

I understand that quartz is used in the manufacture of semiconductors. How is this mineral able to conduct electricity? I think it is both covalently and ionically bonded. I am new to this stuff and cannot see if it is solid how electricity is able to be conducted

Answer 1

I answered the other one let me delve into it more...

first, quartz can conduct actually, if you've ever owmed a quartz watch or heard of a cesium clock....

If you pass DC voltage into a crystal the crystal....well it gets pissed and vibrates....the output current from the crystal has a AC signature at a known frequency. YOu can then amplify it and pass it through frequency dividers to get 1 hzt, or 5Mhz etc.

In wafers, they don't work the same way, the Si doesn't conduct....it's the "board" in which conductive materals are placed to form the logic circuit, but it's all on the surface.

Hope this clears it up, chemicals like gemanium, carbon, do all the work, then when the the wafer has all it's channels done it becomes a "back end wafer" and metals are deposited on it to finish up at the very top.

Answer 2

Quartz Conductivity

Answer 3

Quartz, as silica glass is non conductive. However the manufacturing process applies a very slight doping of rare earth metal impurity to give it sufficient conductivity to be termed semi-conductor. These metals in the crystal matrix provide locations for electrons to pass. Depending on how the doping is done, the material may posses a surplus of electrons or a shortage and this can give rise to junctions which give it the transistor or diode like characteristics needed for electronic applications.

Answer 4

Natural quartz is not used in semi conductors, is is melted and purified before use. Normal quarts is used in radios ,a very thin layer will vibrate at high frequencies and very stable They are used in what is called oscillators as frequency standards.