presilicon

Presilicon is a term used in discussions of semiconductor history and materials science to describe materials, devices, or processes that exist prior to the widespread adoption of silicon as the dominant semiconductor material. The term is informal and not standardized, and its meaning can vary across sources.

In some usages, presilicon refers to the pre-silicon era of electronics, including germanium-based devices such as diodes and transistors, as well as earlier components and techniques that were later superseded by silicon technology. The concept can also encompass transitional research and manufacturing approaches that foreshadow silicon devices, including studies of alternative semiconductors and crystal-growth methods that predicated modern silicon processing.

Because presilicon is not a formal category, it is mostly encountered in historical retrospectives, speculative discussions, or educational overviews. It serves as a shorthand for the period and technologies that set the stage for silicon, rather than a distinct scientific discipline.

See also silicon, germanium, early semiconductors, and history of semiconductors.