What semiconductor is most commonly used to make computer chips?

Silicon is the most commonly used semiconductor for making computer chips due to its excellent electrical properties and abundance in nature. It has a suitable band gap of about 1.1 electron volts, which allows it to effectively conduct electricity when doped with specific impurities, enhancing its conductivity.

Silicon's crystalline structure is stable and can be easily manipulated to create the intricate patterns required on chips. The availability of relatively inexpensive silicon from sand, along with the well-established technology for processing and fabricating silicon wafers, has solidified its position as the primary material in the semiconductor industry.

In contrast, while germanium and gallium can also be used for certain applications, they are not as practical or cost-effective for the large-scale production of computer chips. Cadmium, although used in some specific electronic applications, does not offer the same level of performance or efficiency for semiconductor devices as silicon does. Therefore, silicon's combination of properties makes it the clear choice for computer chip manufacturing.