Silicon Transistor

Silicon is a semiconductor metalloid (falling between metals and nonmetals on the periodic table) chemical element. Its atomic number is 14 and its symbol is Si. It is the 8th most common element by mass. It is used to make integrated circuit chips because it remains a semiconductor at higher temperatures than other materials and is easily “grown” in a furnace. Silicon transistors are in nearly all of our audio gear, although there has been a resurgence of interest in germanium transistors in guitar overdrive, fuzz, and boost stompboxes and microphone preamps for its vintage-sounding, warm, fat tone.