Circuits now use silicon as a transistor because it can easily be switched between conducting and nonconducting states.

It also creates the possibility of new applications that would be impossible using copper or silicon.

They are generally about 10 percent heavier than steel, although alloys using aluminium or silicon may be slightly less dense.

He decided to focus on diatoms, one of the very few organisms that use silicon rather than calcium for their skeletal structures.

"They use as much silicon either way."

Like traditional solar panels, they're often manufactured using silicon and, depending on the design, that can get expensive.

Mr. Spinner said many companies offered more workable solutions by using silicon coated with a type of glass.

What do you usually use silicon for?

Segways use a special solid-state angular rate sensor constructed using silicon.

Because the process uses less silicon, it is far less expensive than conventional photovoltaic modules.