ScienceShot Semiconductors
Semiconductors
Semiconductors covers what happens inside the crystal. Carriers and holes, band gap, lifetime, doping, how silicon is grown, and how the transistor scales from planar CMOS to FinFET and nanosheet. A long section follows charged particles through silicon: energy loss, straggling, the Landau distribution and radiation damage, the physics behind pixel and diamond detectors. You will be able to estimate the charge a particle leaves in a sensor. Circuit design and the chip business are left out.
16 articles, 3 calculators. Figures checked 1 Nov 2026.
Start here
6 articles in reading order. About 45 minutes in all.
- Charge Carriers in Semiconductors: Electrons, Holes and Pair CreationCharge carriers in semiconductors are electrons and holes. See how a 1.12 eV band gap in silicon creates them and why a particle needs about 3.6 eV per pair.5 min
- The Minority Carrier Lifetime in Silicon WaferMinority carrier lifetime sets how long an electron or hole survives before recombining in silicon -- and why bulk defects and surface states both cut it short.7 min
- Czochralski vs Float Zone: Which Silicon Process Wins?Czochralski vs Float Zone silicon growth compared — how each works, their strengths and limits, and which to choose for your application.9 min
- How the Scaling of the CMOS Technology is Impacting Modern MicroelectronicsNavigating the CMOS technology scaling race: Explore how the relentless pursuit of smaller transistors is reshaping modern microelectronics.5 min
- Energy straggling: why particles lose energy unevenlyEnergy straggling is the spread in energy a charged particle leaves in a thin layer. In 300 µm of silicon the peak sits at 81.7 keV and the mean at 138.11 min
- The Landau Distribution and Energy Loss For Ionizing ParticlesCharged particles crossing through matter lose energy in fits and starts. The Landau distribution explains this quantum behavior.8 min
Instruments
The calculators behind the figures in this pillar. Free, one answer at a time, sources printed.
Energy-loss calculator
Particle, material and thickness in; mean loss, most probable value and straggling out.
Bethe and LandauMaterials librarySearch and compare density, excitation energy and radiation properties for 17 materials.
PDG and NISTDetector signal calculatorElectron-hole pairs and fully collected charge in silicon and germanium.
PDG; NIST ESTARFirst planned: Intrinsic carrier density and band gap against temperatureSi, Ge, GaAs, SiC, GaN
Latest in Semiconductors
MoS2 Radio Survives Nine Months in Orbit: What It ShowsA 2026 orbital MoS2 radio experiment ran for nine months. Its measured error rate supports a promising result, with mission qualification still ahead.How Silicon Sensors Are Evolving to Survive the Next Generation of Particle CollidersSilicon sensors have revolutionized particle physics over the past four decades, providing unmatched spatial precision and rate capabilities. As we look toward the future of high-energy physics wit…The Future of Particle Detection: Diamond Pixel SensorsDiscover how Diamond Sensor are changing the world of high energy physics foreverImproving Spatial Resolution in Silicon Particle Detectors: How Physicists Do ItAn overview on spatial resolution and on the capability to reconstruct the crossing point of a particle in silicon sensorEpitaxial Layer in CMOS: How It Shapes Pixel Sensor PerformanceWhat the epitaxial layer in a CMOS device is, why charge in a pixel sensor stays inside it, and how its thickness and resistivity set the signal.Exploring the Physics of Multiple Scattering for Particles in MatterDive into the physics of multiple scattering for particles in matter. Discover how this phenomenon affects the behavior of particles and how it can be used to gain insight into the structure of mat…The Landau Distribution and Energy Loss For Ionizing ParticlesCharged particles crossing through matter lose energy in fits and starts. The Landau distribution explains this quantum behavior.Energy straggling: why particles lose energy unevenlyEnergy straggling is the spread in energy a charged particle leaves in a thin layer. In 300 µm of silicon the peak sits at 81.7 keV and the mean at 138.The Evolution of Silicon Pixel: How Tiny Chips Transformed Particle PhysicsSilicon pixel sensors revolutionized particle detection with microscopic tracking precision, enabling huge physics discoveries.Czochralski vs Float Zone: Which Silicon Process Wins?Czochralski vs Float Zone silicon growth compared — how each works, their strengths and limits, and which to choose for your application.How Radiation Damage Degrades Silicon Detectors (And How Physicists Fight It)The impact of radiation on silicon's sensors from leaky currents to doping fluctuationsGraphene vs Silicon: Properties, Band Gap and Real UsesGraphene beats silicon on mobility, strength and heat flow, but has no band gap. A sourced property table, the 2024 band-gap result and what ships today.Charge Carriers in Semiconductors: Electrons, Holes and Pair CreationCharge carriers in semiconductors are electrons and holes. See how a 1.12 eV band gap in silicon creates them and why a particle needs about 3.6 eV per pair.The Minority Carrier Lifetime in Silicon WaferMinority carrier lifetime sets how long an electron or hole survives before recombining in silicon -- and why bulk defects and surface states both cut it short.FinFET to Nanosheet: The Transistor Shift Powering Your Next CPUExploring the evolution of transistor technology, a pivotal shift from traditional lithography to advanced FinFET and Nanosheet technologies is underway.How the Scaling of the CMOS Technology is Impacting Modern MicroelectronicsNavigating the CMOS technology scaling race: Explore how the relentless pursuit of smaller transistors is reshaping modern microelectronics.