Pure silicon is used as a photon detector. An incoming photon can strike the surface and excite electrons from the valence band to the conduction band, where they can be counted. (a) Compute the number of electrons you would expect to count if a silicon detector is struck with a 1.04-MeV gamma ray produced in the decay of a 136Cs nucleus. (b) Explain why the counting of electrons should be more precise if the detector is cooled well below room temperature.
Pure silicon is used as a photon detector. An incoming photon can strike the surface and excite electrons from the valence band to the conduction band, where they can be counted. (a) Compute the number of electrons you would expect to count if a silicon detector is struck with a 1.04-MeV gamma ray produced in the decay of a 136Cs nucleus. (b) Explain why the counting of electrons should be more precise if the detector is cooled well below room temperature.
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Pure silicon is used as a photon detector. An incoming photon can strike the surface and excite electrons from the valence band to the conduction band, where they can be counted.
(a) Compute the number of electrons you would expect to count if a silicon detector is struck with a 1.04-MeV gamma ray produced in the decay of a 136Cs nucleus.
(b) Explain why the counting of electrons should be more precise if the detector is cooled well below room temperature.
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