![](https://coimages.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/62/220/medium_thumbnail_2000_0455__0001_.jpg)
Silicon ingot, 1978-1980
- Made:
- 1978-1980 in unknown place
![Silicon ingot, unknown maker, 1978-1980](https://coimages.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/50/809/small_thumbnail_2006_0150__0004_.jpg)
![Silicon ingot, unknown maker, 1978-1980](https://coimages.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/50/808/small_thumbnail_2006_0150__0003_.jpg)
![Silicon ingot, unknown maker, 1978-1980](https://coimages.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/50/807/small_thumbnail_2006_0150__0002_.jpg)
![Silicon ingot, unknown maker, 1978-1980](https://coimages.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/50/806/small_thumbnail_2006_0150__0001_.jpg)
Silicon ingot, unknown maker, 1978-1980.
One of the many uses of silicon is as the base material for microchips. Silicon is a natural semiconductor with properties that make it good for producing tiny transistors, which are the key components of microprocessors. Microprochips hold many hundreds of transistors on a tiny piece of silicon. The silicon is purified, melted and cooled to form an ingot like this, then sliced into thin wafers ready to be turned into microchips.
Details
- Category:
- Computing & Data Processing
- Object Number:
- 2006-150
- Materials:
- silicon
- Measurements:
-
overall: 660 mm x 150 mm diameter, 10.595 kg
- type:
- ingot