The market demands to continuously reduce the feature size and increase the integrated circuits density towards the new century. For the economical and technical considerations, the major wafer sizes are shifting to 150mm and 200mm, and the mass production of 300mm diameter wafers is expected to begin in 2001 or 2002. Consequently, on one hand, the growth and manufacturing of large diameter crystals and wafers bring about a number of technological problems and on the other hand, impurities behavior, defects and surface mor-point defects and the extended defects, and their relations with crystal growth technology. New finding of metallic impurities such as copper and iron has been particularly described. The behavior of oxygen, carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen that impact material performance in multiple ways havs been also discussed. Interaction between points defects and oxygen precipitates has been treated to be of prime importance. Microroughness, hydrophilic surface state and surface chemical bonds have been investigated in current paper by novel and improved characterization techniques. Since silicon based materials as the alternative material systems have received strong growing interest, the manufacturing technologies and applications of SiGe, silicon-on-insulator (SOI) have been introduced and emphasized. Finally, the author outlooks the future scientific and engineering challenges and opportunities for silicon and silicon based materials envisioned for the sub quarter-micro and nanometer integrated circuits as we approach 21st century.