Silicon substrates can vary in uses. As a wafer a thin slice of silicon can be the basis for circuits found in the semiconductor industry as well as in photovoltaics. As a mirror substrate, thicker slices of silicon can be processed into a mirror finish for use in laser beam steering applications.
Typically a silicon substrate is derived from slicing ingots according to size, it is the essential material for manufacturing semiconductors for various electronic devices, used as solar cells, as well as laser applications.