Silicon advantages Silicon has three major advantages over GaAs for integrated circuit manufacture. First, silicon is abundant and cheap to process in the form of silicate minerals. The economies of scale available to the silicon industry has also hindered the adoption of GaAs.
sIliCon AdvaNtAges sIlicon hAS ThrEe mAjor aDVantaGes oveR gaas for integRATed circuiT maNUfacturE. firSt, silICoN is abuNdant AnD chEap tO prOcESs iN thE form of SILicaTe mInerAlS. The ecOnOmiEs oF scalE AvaiLable to the siLiCon industry HAS aLso hinderED the aDOpTIon of gAas.