{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.silicon","code":"thing-q670","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q670/","name":"silicon","alternateNames":["monocrystalline silicon","allotrope of silicon","native silicon","silicon-30","silicon-22","silicon-23","silicon-24","silicon-25","silicon-26","silicon-27","silicon-33","silicon-34"],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.2.0-wave.3","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Physical world and living systems","entryKind":"thing","plane":"PHY","domain":["PHY.MAT"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"A chemical element with symbol Si and atomic number 14, a hard, brittle crystalline metalloid that is the second most abundant element in the Earth crust, occurring as silica and silicates, produced from quartz in electric furnaces as metallurgical grade and refined to polycrystalline and monocrystalline silicon for semiconductors and solar cells; silicon also occurs rarely as native mineral, has three stable isotopes and radioactive ones such as silicon-32, and is combustible as fine powder.","purpose":"Let an agent identify silicon and its properties, relay isotopes, allotropes, production and uses from reference sources, explain its role in electronics and photovoltaics, and distinguish silicon from silica, silicone and silicates.","scope":{"in":[],"out":[],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["Semiconductor","Crustal abundance","Diamond cubic structure","Basis of microelectronics"],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"identify","name":"Identify","description":"What silicon is.","layers":[{"id":"properties","name":"Properties","description":"Properties.","findings":[{"id":"properties-finding","name":"Properties","description":"Properties.","questions":[{"text":"What are the physical, chemical and electronic properties of silicon?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Is the question about silicon, silica, silicone or silicates?","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"forms","name":"Forms","description":"Isotopes and allotropes.","findings":[{"id":"forms-finding","name":"Forms","description":"Forms.","questions":[{"text":"What isotopes and allotropes exist, and what is native silicon?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which entry fits the specific form?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"produce","name":"Produce","description":"Production.","layers":[{"id":"grades","name":"Grades","description":"Grades and refining.","findings":[{"id":"grades-finding","name":"Grades","description":"Grades.","questions":[{"text":"How is silicon produced and refined to metallurgical, polycrystalline and monocrystalline grades?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits the Czochralski process?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"supply","name":"Supply","description":"Supply.","findings":[{"id":"supply-finding","name":"Supply","description":"Supply.","questions":[{"text":"Who produces silicon and polysilicon, with figures and sources?","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Which sources are cited?","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]},{"id":"use","name":"Use","description":"Uses.","layers":[{"id":"electronics","name":"Electronics","description":"Semiconductors.","findings":[{"id":"electronics-finding","name":"Electronics","description":"Electronics.","questions":[{"text":"Why is silicon the dominant semiconductor material, and how are wafers made?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits semiconductor fabrication?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"other","name":"Other","description":"Solar, alloys and silicones.","findings":[{"id":"other-finding","name":"Other","description":"Other.","questions":[{"text":"How is silicon used in solar cells, aluminium alloys and silicone production?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which references are standard?","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]},{"id":"context","name":"Context","description":"History and safety.","layers":[{"id":"discovery","name":"Discovery","description":"Discovery.","findings":[{"id":"discovery-finding","name":"Discovery","description":"Discovery.","questions":[{"text":"How was silicon isolated by Berzelius in 1824, and how did it become the basis of electronics?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits the history of the semiconductor?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"safety","name":"Safety","description":"Safety.","findings":[{"id":"safety-finding","name":"Safety","description":"Safety.","questions":[{"text":"What hazards do silicon dust and processing present, and how do they differ from silica hazards?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits combustible dust?","kind":"action"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Describe silicon's properties, refining and uses in electronics, solar cells and alloys.","Report safety data and handling rules for silicon and its dusts."],"mustNot":["Confuse silicon with silicone or with crystalline silica when giving safety advice.","Advise cutting or grinding silicon-bearing materials without dust control.","Misstate where silicon or polysilicon was produced to hide forced labour or sanctions.","Present the energy cost of refining silicon as negligible."],"requiresHuman":["Accepting supply chain claims about the origin of polysilicon."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["Polysilicon supply chains have been linked to forced labour allegations.","Silica dust from processing harms workers' lungs."],"affectedParties":["Workers in refining and processing","Buyers of solar products","Communities near plants"]},"owners":{"steward":"The holder of the material; trade and chemical regulators set the rules.","roles":[],"masterSystems":["Chemical substance inventories"]},"relations":[{"target":"Q21073023","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"combustible powder","type":"related","note":"in registry terms, as fine dust"},{"target":"metalloid","type":"related","note":"in the periodic table"},{"target":"integrated circuit","type":"related","note":"as the substrate"},{"target":"solar cell","type":"related","note":"as the main photovoltaic material"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.silicon","Wikidata: Q670 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q670)","symbol: Si","CAS: 7440-21-3"]},"properties":{"applicability":"required","items":["atomic number: 14 Z","standard atomic weight: 28.085 u","melting point: 1414 degrees C","band gap: 1.12 eV - at 300 K"]},"recognition":{"applicability":"required","items":["Element 14, symbol Si","Metallurgical, polycrystalline and monocrystalline silicon","Silica is the dioxide; silicone is a polymer; silicates are minerals","A dark grey, lustrous, brittle crystalline solid."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["relay properties and isotopes","explain production and grades","describe electronic and solar roles","distinguish from silica and silicone"]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Combustible dust explosions","Confusing silicon with silica, silicone and silicates","Supply concentration in polysilicon production"]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["SEMI standards for semiconductor silicon","Occupational limits for silica dust, distinct from silicon","Combustible dust safety rules"]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["Semiconductors, solar cells, alloys and silicones.","metallurgical grade silicon","polycrystalline and monocrystalline silicon","amorphous silicon","native silicon as a rare mineral","stable isotopes silicon-28, 29 and 30 and radioactive isotopes such as silicon-22, 23 and 32","silicon compounds and materials such as silica, silicones and silicides"]}},"sources":[{"title":"Wikidata item Q670: silicon","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q670","note":"identity and sense of the item"},{"title":"Wikipedia: Silicon","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon","note":"general description of the item"}],"openQuestions":["Should monocrystalline silicon and polysilicon be separate entries?","How should reference data be linked?","The registry entry has merged aliases naming grades, allotropes and isotopes; should they be split off?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q670/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q670/spec.json"],"providers":["Claude"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-13T01:30:35Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"filled","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-06T19:52:01+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 2 live sources; review by codex: pass"},"score":1.0}}