cornish semiconductor corporation - User contributions [en]

Semiconductor history

2026-06-09T17:20:52Z

Cornish semiconductor:

=The use of natural semiconductors=

[[Category:ACE R&D]]

I've started collecting remnants from the era of crystal radio (1900-1930) - partly to use to explain what I'm doing in performances but mostly to learn some of the lost history of this technology. There is plenty of information out there, but a lot of the practical details are missing. This is interesting to me [[cat's whisker setups|after doing this DIY for so long]], seeing how it worked when these techniques were widespread.

==Tins, cat's whiskers and crystals==

[[File:Whiskers.jpg|700px|center]]

It was common for crystals and cats whiskers to be sold in these tiny tins (and at this time the semiconductor industry was thriving in Britain). I think there are two types of springs here, the ones on the left were used for tensioning the screw and the ones on the right are actually the cat's whiskers that touched the crystal surface. The pressure is critical in making a good point contact junction, so they would have been specially made to provide the correct resistance. I'm not sure but I think the little plastic pill containers were not contemporary as in the 1920s when these tins were made, plastic was confined to bakelite and ebonite.

[[File:Tin.jpg|1000px|center]]

This is a tin that contained a crystal of "Hertzite". There were many brand names but usually it seems these contained [[galena]], which was considered one of the best for radio detection - as it was more 'selective' (could be tuned to only pick up the station you wanted to listen to) than other minerals. I'm not sure where the galena would have originated from but presumably being based in Gateshead maybe nearby [https://www.mindat.org/locentries.php?p=25816&m=1641 County Durham] which has lots of lead mines such as [https://www.mindat.org/loc-1409.html Blackdene Mine]. I'm also curious as to what they used to mount crystals.

[[File:Concite_galena_crystal_0.jpg]]
[[File:Concite_galena_crystal_1.jpg]]

The 'perfect' crystal - interesting though that they used silver wire for the cat's whisker. Image from the excellent [https://www.radiomuseum.org radiomuseum.org]

[[File:Tin3.jpg]]

Neutron were a company that was immensely popular for a few years - apparently following [https://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_hersteller_detail.cfm?company_id=6631 16 months of R&D] they developed a crystal that "doubled the range" of a radio receiver. Inside the tin we find several galena crystals, all bright and fresh - I've often wondered how long it takes for fresh galena to tarnish, it seems these have lasted well since the 1920s. Apparently the best galena was argentiferous, or silver bearing. Some of the Cornish mines also reported silver sales from galena processing.

==Radio sets and crystal diodes==

[[File:Radio.jpg|500px|right]]

Crystal radios from this time are still possible to buy, but for quite high prices. I managed to get this front panel for much cheaper than the complete sets (they come in nicely made wood boxes that are popular to reuse for other things). It has a giant variable capacitor for tuning, some screw terminals and an intact crystal/cat's whisker setup.

There were hundreds of companies that sprang up to take advantage of the radio craze of the 1920s, producing thousands of models of crystal radio. It was the cheapness of the solid state semiconductors that made radio accessible to huge amounts of people, especially as you could make them yourself pretty easily - with no batteries required!

I've been trying to work out which model it is and which company manufactured it. In terms of non-symmetrical layout and the style of the tuning knob it looks most closely like an Ericsson Telephones model (yes that Ericsson, or rather it's British subsidiary) but the faded label in the crystal holder glass envelope has a logo just about visible that looks the GvR. This could potentially be General Radio London, who were active at the time, but I haven't managed to find a logo that matches. It's also possible that the crystal holder was made by a different company, or that the radio was a knock-off copy of an Ericsson - a lot of that went on.

The raised plug at the top is where you plug in a secondary inductor coil which could be bought separately. The panel is probably made from bakelite and the knob and plug block is perhaps ebonite - both early forms of plastic that would have seemed like dazzling and futuristic materials at the time.

[[File:Radio-close.jpg]]

[[File:Radio-micro.jpg|500px|right]]

I was so happy to get such a good example of this kind of crystal setup - a precursor to all diodes to come! The cat's whiskers match the ones in the 'mighty atom' tin, and the pressure on the crystal is quite a lot more than I thought it would be. The handle end has a ball bearing so you can move it around to find a working spot. I think the cat's whiskers are made from silver, which apparently works best with galena. The crystal itself seems too dark for galena, but on close inspection it shows cubic formations and the hardness is a match so I presume this is tarnish. The top surface is scratched into rounded masses, but there was an area on the side that had been protected showing these original crystals.

[[File:Dismantled.jpg|500px|right]]

This design is really well thought out as the whole thing can be dismantled easily, so the cup containing the crystal can be replaced or the cat's whisker changed. It works so much better than my attempts, as it holds much more securely to the location you pick, and the glass will protect it from dust.

I've managed to carefully remove the crystal holder from the radio panel (and kept all the screws and bolts for safe keeping so I can rebuild it) and put it on a wood base, as the enormous variable capacitor (which give a range between 0.7 and 1.3 pF) was making it cumbersome.

==Testing the crystal diode==

[[File:Radio-xtal-test.jpg]]

I then tested to see what curve traces I could get from it - exciting to pass some voltages over this crystal for perhaps the first time in a century. It's not that different from what I've been used to seeing, which in itself is interesting - I had wondered if I was replicating this properly for a while. The curves represent different spots on the crystal, and you see some different behaviours - and a bit of inverse curves which I've seen from galena before.

The top right is typical of it 'properly' performing as a rectifying diode, the voltage jump in the positive region on the right happens at a very low voltage, and rivals a germanium diode. It is quite leaky though, as it starts conducting (although, with some resistance) at higher negative voltages.

[[File:Radio-xtal-curves.png|center]]

The advantage of the crocodile clips and flying cat's whiskers approach I've been using is that you are much less restricted with the size and constituency of the crystal, it can have large amounts of matrix material with it for example. However, this 1920s design is more stable, as it does stay quite well 'set' once you find a good spot. Having said that, knocking it, or the table still causes jumps and changes in states so the radio must have still be tricky to keep working.

Semiconductor history

2026-06-08T22:04:32Z

Cornish semiconductor:

=The use of natural semiconductors=

[[Category:ACE R&D]]

I've started collecting remnants from the era of crystal radio (1900-1930) - partly to use to explain what I'm doing in performances but mostly to learn some of the lost history of this technology. There is plenty of information out there, but a lot of the practical details are missing. This is interesting to me [[cat's whisker setups|after doing this DIY for so long]], seeing how it worked when these techniques were widespread.

==Tins, cat's whiskers and crystals==

[[File:Whiskers.jpg|700px|center]]

It was common for crystals and cats whiskers to be sold in these tiny tins (and at this time the semiconductor industry was thriving in Britain). I think there are two types of springs here, the ones on the left were used for tensioning the screw and the ones on the right are actually the cat's whiskers that touched the crystal surface. The pressure is critical in making a good point contact junction, so they would have been specially made to provide the correct resistance. I'm not sure but I think the little plastic pill containers were not contemporary as in the 1920s when these tins were made, plastic was confined to bakelite and ebonite.

[[File:Tin.jpg|1000px|center]]

This is a tin that contained a crystal of "Hertzite". There were many brand names but usually it seems these contained [[galena]], which was considered one of the best for radio detection - as it was more 'selective' (could be tuned to only pick up the station you wanted to listen to) than other minerals. I'm not sure where the galena would have originated from but presumably being based in Gateshead maybe nearby [https://www.mindat.org/locentries.php?p=25816&m=1641 County Durham] which has lots of lead mines such as [https://www.mindat.org/loc-1409.html Blackdene Mine]. I'm also curious as to what they used to mount crystals.

[[File:Concite_galena_crystal_0.jpg]]
[[File:Concite_galena_crystal_1.jpg]]

The 'perfect' crystal - interesting though that they used silver wire for the cat's whisker. Image from the excellent [https://www.radiomuseum.org radiomuseum.org]

[[File:Tin3.jpg]]

Neutron were a company that was immensely popular for a few years - apparently following [https://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_hersteller_detail.cfm?company_id=6631 16 months of R&D] they developed a crystal that "doubled the range" of a radio receiver. Inside the tin we find several galena crystals, all bright and fresh - I've often wondered how long it takes for fresh galena to tarnish, it seems these have lasted well since the 1920s. Apparently the best galena was argentiferous, or silver bearing. Some of the Cornish mines also reported silver sales from galena processing.

==Radio sets and crystal diodes==

[[File:Radio.jpg|500px|right]]

Crystal radios from this time are still possible to buy, but for quite high prices. I managed to get this front panel for much cheaper than the complete sets (they come in nicely made wood boxes that are popular to reuse for other things). It has a giant variable capacitor for tuning, some screw terminals and an intact crystal/cat's whisker setup.

There were hundreds of companies that sprang up to take advantage of the radio craze of the 1920s, producing thousands of models of crystal radio. It was the cheapness of the solid state semiconductors that made radio accessible to huge amounts of people, especially as you could make them yourself pretty easily - with no batteries required!

I've been trying to work out which model it is and which company manufactured it. In terms of non-symmetrical layout and the style of the tuning knob it looks most closely like an Ericsson Telephones model (yes that Ericsson, or rather it's British subsidiary) but the faded label in the crystal holder glass envelope has a logo just about visible that looks the GvR. This could potentially be General Radio London, who were active at the time, but I haven't managed to find a logo that matches. It's also possible that the crystal holder was made by a different company, or that the radio was a knock-off copy of an Ericsson - a lot of that went on.

The raised plug at the top is where you plug in a secondary inductor coil which could be bought separately. The panel is probably made from bakelite and the knob and plug block is perhaps ebonite - both early forms of plastic that would have seemed like dazzling and futuristic materials at the time.

[[File:Radio-close.jpg]]

[[File:Radio-micro.jpg|500px|right]]

I was so happy to get such a good example of this kind of crystal setup - a precursor to all diodes to come! The cat's whiskers match the ones in the 'mighty atom' tin, and the pressure on the crystal is quite a lot more than I thought it would be. The handle end has a ball bearing so you can move it around to find a working spot. I think the cat's whiskers are made from silver, which apparently works best with galena. The crystal itself seems too dark for galena, but on close inspection it shows cubic formations and the hardness is a match so I presume this is tarnish. The top surface is scratched into rounded masses, but there was an area on the side that had been protected showing these original crystals.

[[File:Dismantled.jpg|500px|right]]

This design is really well thought out as the whole thing can be dismantled easily, so the cup containing the crystal can be replaced or the cat's whisker changed. It works so much better than my attempts, as it holds much more securely to the location you pick, and the glass will protect it from dust.

I've managed to carefully remove the crystal holder from the radio panel (and kept all the screws and bolts for safe keeping so I can rebuild it) and put it on a wood base, as the enormous variable capacitor (which give a range between 0.7 and 1.3 pF) was making it cumbersome.

==Testing the crystal diode==

[[File:Radio-xtal-test.jpg]]

I then tested to see what curve traces I could get from it - exciting to pass some voltages over this crystal for perhaps the first time in a century. It's not that different from what I've been used to seeing, which in itself is interesting - I had wondered if I was replicating this properly for a while. The curves represent different spots on the crystal, and you see some different behaviours - and a bit of inverse curves which I've seen from galena before.

The top right is typical of it 'properly' performing as a rectifying diode, the voltage jump in the positive region on the right happens at a very low voltage, and rivals a germanium diode. It is quite leaky though, as it starts conducting (although, with some resistance) at higher negative voltages.

[[File:Radio-xtal-curves.png|center]]

The advantages though with this design is its stability, something I've not really been prioritising - but it does stay quite well 'set' once you find a spot. Having said that, knocking it, or the table still causes jumps and changes in states so the radio must have still be tricky to keep working.

Semiconductor history

2026-06-08T22:02:55Z

Cornish semiconductor: /* Radio sets */

=The use of natural semiconductors=

[[Category:ACE R&D]]

I've started collecting remnants from the era of crystal radio (1900-1930) - partly to use to explain what I'm doing in performances but mostly to learn some of the lost history of this technology. There is plenty of information out there, but a lot of the practical details are missing. This is interesting to me [[cat's whisker setups|after doing this DIY for so long]], seeing how it worked when these techniques were widespread.

==Tins, cat's whiskers and crystals==

[[File:Whiskers.jpg|700px|center]]

It was common for crystals and cats whiskers to be sold in these tiny tins (and at this time the semiconductor industry was thriving in Britain). I think there are two types of springs here, the ones on the left were used for tensioning the screw and the ones on the right are actually the cat's whiskers that touched the crystal surface. The pressure is critical in making a good point contact junction, so they would have been specially made to provide the correct resistance. I'm not sure but I think the little plastic pill containers were not contemporary as in the 1920s when these tins were made, plastic was confined to bakelite and ebonite.

[[File:Tin.jpg|1000px|center]]

This is a tin that contained a crystal of "Hertzite". There were many brand names but usually it seems these contained [[galena]], which was considered one of the best for radio detection - as it was more 'selective' (could be tuned to only pick up the station you wanted to listen to) than other minerals. I'm not sure where the galena would have originated from but presumably being based in Gateshead maybe nearby [https://www.mindat.org/locentries.php?p=25816&m=1641 County Durham] which has lots of lead mines such as [https://www.mindat.org/loc-1409.html Blackdene Mine]. I'm also curious as to what they used to mount crystals.

[[File:Concite_galena_crystal_0.jpg]]
[[File:Concite_galena_crystal_1.jpg]]

The 'perfect' crystal - interesting though that they used silver wire for the cat's whisker. Image from the excellent [https://www.radiomuseum.org radiomuseum.org]

[[File:Tin3.jpg]]

Neutron were a company that was immensely popular for a few years - apparently following [https://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_hersteller_detail.cfm?company_id=6631 16 months of R&D] they developed a crystal that "doubled the range" of a radio receiver. Inside the tin we find several galena crystals, all bright and fresh - I've often wondered how long it takes for fresh galena to tarnish, it seems these have lasted well since the 1920s. Apparently the best galena was argentiferous, or silver bearing. Some of the Cornish mines also reported silver sales from galena processing.

==Radio sets and crystal diodes==

[[File:Radio.jpg|500px|right]]

Crystal radios from this time are still possible to buy, but for quite high prices. I managed to get this front panel for much cheaper than the complete sets (they come in nicely made wood boxes that are popular to reuse for other things). It has a giant variable capacitor for tuning, some screw terminals and an intact crystal/cat's whisker setup.

There were hundreds of companies that sprang up to take advantage of the radio craze of the 1920s, producing thousands of models of crystal radio. It was the cheapness of the solid state semiconductors that made radio accessible to huge amounts of people, especially as you could make them yourself pretty easily - with no batteries required!

I've been trying to work out which model it is and which company manufactured it. In terms of non-symmetrical layout and the style of the tuning knob it looks most closely like an Ericsson Telephones model (yes that Ericsson, or rather it's British subsidiary) but the faded label in the crystal holder glass envelope has a logo just about visible that looks the GvR. This could potentially be General Radio London, who were active at the time, but I haven't managed to find a logo that matches. It's also possible that the crystal holder was made by a different company, or that the radio was a knock-off copy of an Ericsson - a lot of that went on.

The raised plug at the top is where you plug in a secondary inductor coil which could be bought separately. The panel is probably made from bakelite and the knob and plug block is perhaps ebonite - both early forms of plastic that would have seemed like dazzling and futuristic materials at the time.

[[File:Radio-close.jpg]]

[[File:Radio-micro.jpg|500px|right]]

I was so happy to get such a good example of this kind of crystal setup - a precursor to all diodes to come! The cat's whiskers match the ones in the 'mighty atom' tin, and the pressure on the crystal is quite a lot more than I thought it would be. The handle end has a ball bearing so you can move it around to find a working spot. I think the cat's whiskers are made from silver, which apparently works best with galena. The crystal itself seems too dark for galena, but on close inspection it shows cubic formations and the hardness is a match so I presume this is tarnish. The top surface is scratched into rounded masses, but there was an area on the side that had been protected showing these original crystals.

[[File:Dismantled.jpg|500px|right]]

This design is really well thought out as the whole thing can be dismantled easily, so the cup containing the crystal can be replaced or the cat's whisker changed. It works so much better than my attempts, as it holds much more securely to the location you pick, and the glass will protect it from dust.

I've managed to carefully remove the crystal holder from the radio panel (and kept all the screws and bolts for safe keeping so I can rebuild it) and put it on a wood base, as the enormous variable capacitor (which give a range between 0.7 and 1.3 pF) was making it cumbersome.

[[File:Radio-xtal-test.jpg]]

I then tested to see what curve traces I could get from it - exciting to pass some voltages over this crystal for perhaps the first time in a century. It's not that different from what I've been used to seeing, which in itself is interesting - I had wondered if I was replicating this properly for a while. The curves represent different spots on the crystal, and you see some different behaviours - and a bit of inverse curves which I've seen from galena before.

The top right is typical of it 'properly' performing as a rectifying diode, the voltage jump in the positive region on the right happens at a very low voltage, and rivals a germanium diode. It is quite leaky though, as it starts conducting (although, with some resistance) at higher negative voltages.

[[File:Radio-xtal-curves.png|center]]

The advantages though with this design is its stability, something I've not really been prioritising - but it does stay quite well 'set' once you find a spot. Having said that, knocking it, or the table still causes jumps and changes in states so the radio must have still be tricky to keep working.

Semiconductor history

2026-06-08T22:01:09Z

Cornish semiconductor:

=The use of natural semiconductors=

[[Category:ACE R&D]]

I've started collecting remnants from the era of crystal radio (1900-1930) - partly to use to explain what I'm doing in performances but mostly to learn some of the lost history of this technology. There is plenty of information out there, but a lot of the practical details are missing. This is interesting to me [[cat's whisker setups|after doing this DIY for so long]], seeing how it worked when these techniques were widespread.

==Tins, cat's whiskers and crystals==

[[File:Whiskers.jpg|700px|center]]

It was common for crystals and cats whiskers to be sold in these tiny tins (and at this time the semiconductor industry was thriving in Britain). I think there are two types of springs here, the ones on the left were used for tensioning the screw and the ones on the right are actually the cat's whiskers that touched the crystal surface. The pressure is critical in making a good point contact junction, so they would have been specially made to provide the correct resistance. I'm not sure but I think the little plastic pill containers were not contemporary as in the 1920s when these tins were made, plastic was confined to bakelite and ebonite.

[[File:Tin.jpg|1000px|center]]

This is a tin that contained a crystal of "Hertzite". There were many brand names but usually it seems these contained [[galena]], which was considered one of the best for radio detection - as it was more 'selective' (could be tuned to only pick up the station you wanted to listen to) than other minerals. I'm not sure where the galena would have originated from but presumably being based in Gateshead maybe nearby [https://www.mindat.org/locentries.php?p=25816&m=1641 County Durham] which has lots of lead mines such as [https://www.mindat.org/loc-1409.html Blackdene Mine]. I'm also curious as to what they used to mount crystals.

[[File:Concite_galena_crystal_0.jpg]]
[[File:Concite_galena_crystal_1.jpg]]

The 'perfect' crystal - interesting though that they used silver wire for the cat's whisker. Image from the excellent [https://www.radiomuseum.org radiomuseum.org]

[[File:Tin3.jpg]]

Neutron were a company that was immensely popular for a few years - apparently following [https://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_hersteller_detail.cfm?company_id=6631 16 months of R&D] they developed a crystal that "doubled the range" of a radio receiver. Inside the tin we find several galena crystals, all bright and fresh - I've often wondered how long it takes for fresh galena to tarnish, it seems these have lasted well since the 1920s. Apparently the best galena was argentiferous, or silver bearing. Some of the Cornish mines also reported silver sales from galena processing.

==Radio sets==

[[File:Radio.jpg|500px|right]]

Crystal radios from this time are still possible to buy, but for quite high prices. I managed to get this front panel for much cheaper than the complete sets (they come in nicely made wood boxes that are popular to reuse for other things). It has a giant variable capacitor for tuning, some screw terminals and an intact crystal/cat's whisker setup.

There were hundreds of companies that sprang up to take advantage of the radio craze of the 1920s, producing thousands of models of crystal radio. It was the cheapness of the solid state semiconductors that made radio accessible to huge amounts of people, especially as you could make them yourself pretty easily - with no batteries required!

I've been trying to work out which model it is and which company manufactured it. In terms of non-symmetrical layout and the style of the tuning knob it looks most closely like an Ericsson Telephones model (yes that Ericsson, or rather it's British subsidiary) but the faded label in the crystal holder glass envelope has a logo just about visible that looks the GvR. This could potentially be General Radio London, who were active at the time, but I haven't managed to find a logo that matches. It's also possible that the crystal holder was made by a different company, or that the radio was a knock-off copy of an Ericsson - a lot of that went on.

The raised plug at the top is where you plug in a secondary inductor coil which could be bought separately. The panel is probably made from bakelite and the knob and plug block is perhaps ebonite - both early forms of plastic that would have seemed like dazzling and futuristic materials at the time.

[[File:Radio-close.jpg]]

[[File:Radio-micro.jpg|500px|right]]

I was so happy to get such a good example of this kind of crystal setup - a precursor to all diodes to come! The cat's whiskers match the ones in the 'mighty atom' tin, and the pressure on the crystal is quite a lot more than I thought it would be. The handle end has a ball bearing so you can move it around to find a working spot. I think the cat's whiskers are made from silver, which apparently works best with galena. The crystal itself seems too dark for galena, but on close inspection it shows cubic formations and the hardness is a match so I presume this is tarnish. The top surface is scratched into rounded masses, but there was an area on the side that had been protected showing these original crystals.

[[File:Dismantled.jpg|500px|right]]

This design is really well thought out as the whole thing can be dismantled easily, so the cup containing the crystal can be replaced or the cat's whisker changed. It works so much better than my attempts, as it holds much more securely to the location you pick, and the glass will protect it from dust.

I've managed to carefully remove the crystal holder from the radio panel (and kept all the screws and bolts for safe keeping so I can rebuild it) and put it on a wood base, as the enormous variable capacitor (which give a range between 0.7 and 1.3 pF) was making it cumbersome.

[[File:Radio-xtal-test.jpg]]

I then tested to see what curve traces I could get from it - exciting to pass some voltages over this crystal for perhaps the first time in a century. It's not that different from what I've been used to seeing, which in itself is interesting - I had wondered if I was replicating this properly for a while. The curves represent different spots on the crystal, and you see some different behaviours - and a bit of inverse curves which I've seen from galena before.

The top right is typical of it 'properly' performing as a rectifying diode, the voltage jump in the positive region on the right happens at a very low voltage, and rivals a germanium diode. It is quite leaky though, as it starts conducting (although, with some resistance) at higher negative voltages.

[[File:Radio-xtal-curves.png|center]]

The advantages though with this design is its stability, something I've not really been prioritising - but it does stay quite well 'set' once you find a spot. Having said that, knocking it, or the table still causes jumps and changes in states so the radio must have still be tricky to keep working.

File:Radio-xtal-curves.png

2026-06-08T21:46:54Z

Cornish semiconductor:

File:Radio-xtal-test.jpg

2026-06-08T21:46:14Z

Cornish semiconductor:

Cardboard Crystal synth

2026-06-07T21:02:32Z

Cornish semiconductor:

[[Category:Electronics]]

[[File:Cardboard-close.jpg|500px|right]]

[[Category:Todo]]

Crystal Log Synth

2026-06-07T21:01:46Z

Cornish semiconductor:

[[File:log.jpg|500px|right|The log synth sitting on some mine waste at Ale and Cakes mine, Gwennap, Cornwall]]

As part of our workshops at Ale and Cakes mine, we used a prototype 'crystal log synth' that kids could plug their crystals into to make techno music.

The ideas was to building up the circuits created from the [[Cardboard Crystal synth]] we used in previous workshop into things that can be played/listened to a little more easily in a hardware synth form. It was also used as a testing method so prototype ideas for sound generation that use natural semiconductors alongside 'off the shelf' synth hardware. We used it for taking to mines in the organised atoms workshop (where it has to have a kind of presence and playability) as well as recording tracks.

Using a volca modular as a temporary(?) solution that provides modules and element we need without having to build them. Voltages seem compatible with what we have been building so far (6V).

The synth as a whole is wired together via springs like the cardboard boxes, but is built out of wood.

=Circuits=

==Square wave fm voice==

This is directly based on the workshop circuits - osc1 modulates the frequency of osc2 via a transistor, this feeds into osc3's frequency via the crystal used as a transistor. This is fed into a low pass filter to allow us to remove (or enhance) some of the nastier frequencies the natural crystal provides.

[ osc1 ] -> [ osc2 ] -> crystal cat's whisker -> [ osc 3 ] -> [ resonant low pass filter ]

The inputs can be controlled via any of the sequencer vactrol resistances (see below)

Inputs:

* Osc1 frequency
* Osc2 frequency
* Filter cutoff
* Filter resonance

Outputs:

* Signal

==Sawtooth fm voice==

![](https://gitlab.com/then-try-this/organised_atoms/-/raw/main/cornish%20semiconductor%20corp/proto/saw.jpg){width=50%}

Using a common 'saw core' circuit, this is a new design where osc1 modulates the frequency of osc2, where the crystal is working in diode configuration, controlling the shape of osc2 as well as it's frequency. The resulting output is filtered by a resonant state variable filter that allow you (via a jumper) to pick between high, band or low pass outputs.

[ osc1 ] -> [ osc2 ] -> [ svf ]
|
[ crystal as diode ]

Inputs:

* Osc1 frequency
* Osc2 frequency
* Filter cutoff
* Filter resonance

Outputs:

* Signal

==Crystal noise generator==

This circuit passes a controllable DC current through a crystal and a 1K resistor. The DC is removed by a RC high pass filter and any resulting fluctuations are amplified (X ~100) and passed through a resonant state variable filter. This provides a noise source that is different for different mineral specimens. The voltage passed across the crystal can be controlled, as the noise seems to change based on this and the point contact location.

[ noise ] -> [ svf ]

Inputs:

* DC offset
* Filter cutoff

Outputs:

* Signal

==Shift register/XOR sequencer with 2 vactrols==

Takes a clock signal from volca (or an internal oscillator) and provides resistance changes that can be used in any other circuit as modulation/automation.

An XOR gate feeds to the shift register input and can be plugged into any of the 8 register bits to provide semi-random patterns where you can control the length.

Has a momentary button to insert 'data' which shifts the patterns, and a 8xtoggle switch which mixes outputs to provide different levels, basically a digital to analogue converter.

The output CV can be smoothed via a RC lowpass filter. It can be wired to one of the on board vactrol (LED/LDR combination) CV's - these are exposed as inputs so we can also wire them from the volca modular. The reason to put them here rather than on e.g. voice PCBs is partly due to their size, and the ease of can just hooking up connections to any pots we want, and expose them to the spring connectors.

The second CV is provided via 2 hardwired XOR gates on randomly picked outputs.

clock -> [ shift register ] -> [ mixer ] -> [ low pass filter ] ->
|
\--> [ XOR mixer ] ->

CV1 -> [ vactrol1 ] -> resistance
CV2 -> [ vactrol2 ] -> resistance

The vactrols are not completely covered, meaning light falling on the circuit is also a factor - and can be controlled expressively.

Inputs:

* Clock
* CV1
* CV2

Outputs:

* Analogue voltage
* Resistance 1
* Resistance 2

==Double shift register/XOR/vactrol==

Provides 2x8 bit or 16 bit sequencing with XOR.

Inputs:

* Clock
* 2 vactrol CVs

Outputs:

* Analogue voltage
* 2 vactrol resistances

==Triple distortion envelope/gate/sequencer==

A hacky replacement for the volca modular's low pass gates (which I made heavy use of previously). This circuit does several things in one:

* Takes clock input and generates pulse trains from two 4 bit binary counters. These counters can have their starting point set (using the 8 dip switches), which get automatically read at the end of each cycle. This can be used to create polyrhythms that can be changed live.
* Converts the pulse trains from the counters into envelopes with a decay control.
* Uses the resulting CV to attenuate a signal. This only uses a single transistor, so as the decay lowers it clips and adds distortion to the signal.

clock -> [ 4bit counter x2 ] -> [ env generator x3 ] -> [ gate x3 ] ->
^
[ audio x3 ] --'

Inputs:

* Clock
* 3 audio signals

Outputs:

* 3 gated/attenuated audio signals

==Mixer==

Allows four signals to be mixed with level controls for each and a final gain amplifier. In the end these just got set up once and mostly left as the gates level controls were used instead.

Inputs:

* 4 audio signals

Outputs:

* Output audio signal (can drive headphones on it's own)

[[Category:Electronics]]

Crystal Log Synth

2026-06-07T20:59:03Z

Cornish semiconductor:

Cat's whisker setups

2026-06-07T20:57:23Z

Cornish semiconductor:

As in the [[semiconductor history|early days of semiconductor development]], the mounting of cat's whiskers and semiconducting crystalline material is a difficult and ongoing development.

=Cardboard crystal synth=

[[File:Close.jpg]]

The original setup we used for the [http://thentrythis.org/projects/organised-atoms Organised Atoms workshops], crocodile clips mounted in blocks of balsa wood with long/coiled wire so they could be removed for larger chunks of crystal. The cat's whiskers are mounted on thicker, twisted wire so they can be positioned. All the wiring is inside the cardboard box.

=PCB mounting=

[[File:New_xtal_design.jpg]]

This was an attempt at mounting the crystals on PCBs which didn't work very well. The main problem was holding the crystal firmly. This could be fixed by using a thicker copper ring with screws to hold the crystal (which seemed common in the 1920's). I also experimented with wood's metal which melts at ~60 degrees to avoid harming the crystal, but it's quite toxic. Other low temperature alloys exist but are a little expensive.

The other issues with this were that the cat's whisker setup uses a lot of space on the PCB and having them permanently fixed together made it harder to experiment with different setups.

=Crystal Log Synth=

[[File:Title-s.jpg]]

In the [[Crystal Log Synth]] the crystals are mounted in crocodile clips raised above the circuits on copper pipe that slotted into holes in the wood. This means they are easily accessible and visible in performances. Little bits of pyrite and galena end up on the circuit boards, which adds to the chaos.

=Variscan Coast Synthesis=

[[File:Granite-setup-s.jpg]]

This setup uses a similar approach, more streamlined (no need for the dowel rod) and mounted in granite instead. This is the approach us used in the early [[Variscan Coast Synthesis]] setup.

[[File:Catswhiskers.jpg]]

This is the latest design for the [[Variscan Coast Synthesis]] rig, the cat's whisker holders are twisted to add some stiffness as the previous version added too much vibration. The cat's whiskers themselves are no longer soldered but connected via screw terminals to make them easier to change (and reduces the need for multiples). Inspired by the [[semiconductor history|historical research]] the steel wire has been replaced by silver, which so far does seem more responsive. They are also made larger than previously, to make them more visible during performances.

[[Category:ACE R&D]]

Cat's whisker setups

2026-06-07T20:56:25Z

Cornish semiconductor:

Cat's whisker setups

2026-06-07T20:53:47Z

Cornish semiconductor:

As in the [[semiconductor history|early days of semiconductor development]], the mounting of cat's whiskers and semiconducting crystalline material is a difficult and ongoing development.

[[File:Close.jpg]]

The original setup we used for the [http://thentrythis.org/projects/organised-atoms Organised Atoms workshops], crocodile clips mounted in blocks of balsa wood with long/coiled wire so they could be removed for larger chunks of crystal. The cat's whiskers are mounted on thicker, twisted wire so they can be positioned. All the wiring is inside the cardboard box.

[[File:New_xtal_design.jpg]]

This was an attempt at mounting the crystals on PCBs which didn't work very well. The main problem was holding the crystal firmly. This could be fixed by using a thicker copper ring with screws to hold the crystal (which seemed common in the 1920's). I also experimented with wood's metal which melts at ~60 degrees to avoid harming the crystal, but it's quite toxic. Other low temperature alloys exist but are a little expensive.

The other issues with this were that the cat's whisker setup uses a lot of space on the PCB and having them permanently fixed together made it harder to experiment with different setups.

[[File:Title-s.jpg]]

In the [[crystal log synth]] the crystals are mounted in crocodile clips raised above the circuits on copper pipe that slotted into holes in the wood. This means they are easily accessible and visible in performances. Little bits of pyrite and galena end up on the circuit boards, which adds to the chaos.

[[File:Granite-setup-s.jpg]]

This setup uses a similar approach, more streamlined (no need for the dowel rod) and mounted in granite instead. This is the approach us used in the early [[Variscan Coast Synthesis]] setup.

[[File:Catswhiskers.jpg]]

This is the latest design for the [[Variscan Coast Synthesis]] rig, the cat's whisker holders are twisted to add some stiffness as the previous version added too much vibration. The cat's whiskers themselves are no longer soldered but connected via screw terminals to make them easier to change (and reduces the need for multiples). Inspired by the [[semiconductor history|historical research]] the steel wire has been replaced by silver, which so far does seem more responsive.

[[Category:ACE R&D]]

File:Catswhiskers.jpg

2026-06-07T20:47:29Z

Cornish semiconductor:

Semiconductor history

2026-06-07T14:15:45Z

Cornish semiconductor:

=The use of natural semiconductors=

[[Category:ACE R&D]]

I've started collecting remnants from the era of crystal radio (1900-1930) - partly to use to explain what I'm doing in performances but mostly to learn some of the lost history of this technology. There is plenty of information out there, but a lot of the practical details are missing. This is interesting to me [[cat's whisker setups|after doing this DIY for so long]], seeing how it worked when these techniques were widespread.

==Tins, cat's whiskers and crystals==

[[File:Whiskers.jpg|700px|center]]

It was common for crystals and cats whiskers to be sold in these tiny tins (and at this time the semiconductor industry was thriving in Britain). I think there are two types of springs here, the ones on the left were used for tensioning the screw and the ones on the right are actually the cat's whiskers that touched the crystal surface. The pressure is critical in making a good point contact junction, so they would have been specially made to provide the correct resistance. I'm not sure but I think the little plastic pill containers were not contemporary as in the 1920s when these tins were made, plastic was confined to bakelite and ebonite.

[[File:Tin.jpg|1000px|center]]

This is a tin that contained a crystal of "Hertzite". There were many brand names but usually it seems these contained [[galena]], which was considered one of the best for radio detection - as it was more 'selective' (could be tuned to only pick up the station you wanted to listen to) than other minerals. I'm not sure where the galena would have originated from but presumably being based in Gateshead maybe nearby [https://www.mindat.org/locentries.php?p=25816&m=1641 County Durham] which has lots of lead mines such as [https://www.mindat.org/loc-1409.html Blackdene Mine]. I'm also curious as to what they used to mount crystals.

[[File:Concite_galena_crystal_0.jpg]]
[[File:Concite_galena_crystal_1.jpg]]

The 'perfect' crystal - interesting though that they used silver wire for the cat's whisker. Image from the excellent [https://www.radiomuseum.org radiomuseum.org]

[[File:Tin3.jpg]]

Neutron were a company that was immensely popular for a few years - apparently following [https://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_hersteller_detail.cfm?company_id=6631 16 months of R&D] they developed a crystal that "doubled the range" of a radio receiver. Inside the tin we find several galena crystals, all bright and fresh - I've often wondered how long it takes for fresh galena to tarnish, it seems these have lasted well since the 1920s. Apparently the best galena was argentiferous, or silver bearing. Some of the Cornish mines also reported silver sales from galena processing.

==Radio sets==

[[File:Radio.jpg|500px|right]]

Crystal radios from this time are still possible to buy, but for quite high prices. I managed to get this front panel for much cheaper than the complete sets (they come in nicely made wood boxes that are popular to reuse for other things). It has a giant variable capacitor for tuning, some screw terminals and an intact crystal/cat's whisker setup.

There were hundreds of companies that sprang up to take advantage of the radio craze of the 1920s, producing thousands of models of crystal radio. It was the cheapness of the solid state semiconductors that made radio accessible to huge amounts of people, especially as you could make them yourself pretty easily - with no batteries required!

I've been trying to work out which model it is and which company manufactured it. In terms of non-symmetrical layout and the style of the tuning knob it looks most closely like an Ericsson Telephones model (yes that Ericsson, or rather it's British subsidiary) but the faded label in the crystal holder glass envelope has a logo just about visible that looks the GvR. This could potentially be General Radio London, who were active at the time, but I haven't managed to find a logo that matches. It's also possible that the crystal holder was made by a different company, or that the radio was a knock-off copy of an Ericsson - a lot of that went on.

The raised plug at the top is where you plug in a secondary inductor coil which could be bought separately. The panel is probably made from bakelite and the knob and plug block is perhaps ebonite - both early forms of plastic that would have seemed like dazzling and futuristic materials at the time.

[[File:Radio-close.jpg]]

[[File:Radio-micro.jpg|500px|right]]

I was so happy to get such a good example of this kind of crystal setup - a precursor to all diodes to come! The cat's whiskers match the ones in the 'mighty atom' tin, and the pressure on the crystal is quite a lot more than I thought it would be. The handle end has a ball bearing so you can move it around to find a working spot. I think the cat's whiskers are made from silver, which apparently works best with galena. The crystal itself seems too dark for galena, but on close inspection it shows cubic formations and the hardness is a match so I presume this is tarnish. The top surface is scratched into rounded masses, but there was an area on the side that had been protected showing these original crystals.

[[File:Dismantled.jpg|500px|right]]

This design is really well thought out as the whole thing can be dismantled easily, so the cup containing the crystal can be replaced or the cat's whisker changed. It works so much better than my attempts, as it holds much more securely to the location you pick, and the glass will protect it from dust.

Semiconductor history

2026-06-07T14:10:20Z

Cornish semiconductor:

=The use of natural semiconductors=

[[Category:ACE R&D]]

I've started collecting remnants from the era of crystal radio (1900-1930) - partly to use to explain what I'm doing in performances but mostly to learn some of the lost history of this technology. There is plenty of information out there, but a lot of the practical details are missing. This is interesting to me [[cat's whisker setups|after doing this DIY for so long]], seeing how it worked when these techniques were widespread.

==Tins, cat's whiskers and crystals==

[[File:Whiskers.jpg|700px|center]]

It was common for crystals and cats whiskers to be sold in these tiny tins (and at this time the semiconductor industry was thriving in Britain). I think there are two types of springs here, the ones on the left were used for tensioning the screw and the ones on the right are actually the cat's whiskers that touched the crystal surface. The pressure is critical in making a good point contact junction, so they would have been specially made to provide the correct resistance. I'm not sure but I think the little plastic pill containers were not contemporary as in the 1920s when these tins were made, plastic was confined to bakelite and ebonite.

[[File:Tin.jpg|1000px|center]]

This is a tin that contained a crystal of "Hertzite". There were many brand names but usually it seems these contained [[galena]], which was considered one of the best for radio detection - as it was more 'selective' (could be tuned to only pick up the station you wanted to listen to) than other minerals. I'm not sure where the galena would have originated from but presumably being based in Gateshead maybe nearby [https://www.mindat.org/locentries.php?p=25816&m=1641 County Durham] which has lots of lead mines such as [https://www.mindat.org/loc-1409.html Blackdene Mine]. I'm also curious as to what they used to mount crystals.

[[File:Concite_galena_crystal_0.jpg]]
[[File:Concite_galena_crystal_1.jpg]]

The 'perfect' crystal - interesting though that they used silver wire for the cat's whisker. Image from the excellent [https://www.radiomuseum.org radiomuseum.org]

[[File:Tin3.jpg]]

Neutron were a company that was immensely popular for a few years - apparently following [https://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_hersteller_detail.cfm?company_id=6631 16 months of R&D] they developed a crystal that "doubled the range" of a radio receiver. Inside the tin we find several galena crystals, all bright and fresh - I've often wondered how long it takes for fresh galena to tarnish, it seems these have lasted well since the 1920s. Apparently the best galena was argentiferous, or silver bearing. Some of the Cornish mines also reported silver sales from galena processing.

==Radio sets==

[[File:Radio.jpg|500px|right]]

Crystal radios from this time are still possible to buy, but for quite high prices. I managed to get this front panel for much cheaper than the complete sets (they come in nicely made wood boxes that are popular to reuse for other things). It has a giant variable capacitor for tuning, some screw terminals and an intact crystal/cat's whisker setup.

There were hundreds of companies that sprang up to take advantage of the radio craze of the 1920s, producing thousands of models of crystal radio. It was the cheapness of the solid state semiconductors that made radio accessible to huge amounts of people, especially as you could make them yourself pretty easily - with no batteries required!

I've been trying to work out which model it is and which company manufactured it. In terms of non-symmetrical layout and the style of the tuning knob it looks most closely like an Ericsson Telephones model (yes that Ericsson, or rather it's British subsidiary) but the faded label in the crystal holder glass envelope has a logo just about visible that looks the GvR. This could potentially be General Radio London, who were active at the time, but I haven't managed to find a logo that matches. It's also possible that the crystal holder was made by a different company, or that the radio was a knock-off copy of an Ericsson - a lot of that went on.

The raised plug at the top is where you plug in a secondary inductor coil which could be bought separately. The panel is probably made from bakelite and the knob and plug block is perhaps ebonite - both early forms of plastic that would have seemed like dazzling and futuristic materials at the time.

[[File:Radio-close.jpg]]

[[File:Radio-micro.jpg|500px|right]]

I was so happy to get such a good example of this kind of crystal setup - a precursor to all diodes to come! The cat's whiskers match the ones in the 'mighty atom' tin, and the pressure on the crystal is quite a lot more than I thought it would be. The handle end has a ball bearing so you can move it around to find a working spot. I think the cat's whiskers are made from silver, which apparently works best with galena. The crystal itself seems too dark for galena, but on close inspection it shows cubic formations and the hardness is a match so I presume this is tarnish. The top surface is scratched into rounded masses, but there was an area on the side that had been protected showing these original crystals.

[[File:Dismantled.jpg|500px|right]]

This design is really well thought out as the whole thing can be dismantled easily, so the cup containing the crystal can be replaced or the cat's whisker changed.

File:Dismantled.jpg

2026-06-07T14:03:49Z

Cornish semiconductor:

File:Radio-micro.jpg

2026-06-07T13:56:42Z

Cornish semiconductor:

File:Radio-close.jpg

2026-06-07T13:39:40Z

Cornish semiconductor:

Semiconductor history

2026-06-07T10:13:10Z

Cornish semiconductor:

Semiconductor history

2026-06-07T09:59:39Z

Cornish semiconductor:

Semiconductor history

2026-06-07T09:59:18Z

Cornish semiconductor:

File:Radio.jpg

2026-06-07T09:53:30Z

Cornish semiconductor:

Semiconductor history

2026-06-07T09:52:29Z

Cornish semiconductor: /* The use of natural semiconductors */

Semiconductor history

2026-06-07T09:51:52Z

Cornish semiconductor:

Semiconductor history

2026-06-07T07:46:46Z

Cornish semiconductor:

File:Tin3.jpg

2026-06-07T07:37:49Z

Cornish semiconductor:

Inspiration

2026-06-06T11:20:32Z

Cornish semiconductor: Created page with "Inspiration, references, attribution and friends working with similar material - in no particular order: * [https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/general_el_the_unit.html 1920's crystal radio tech] * [https://www.discogs.com/artist/361941-Jessica-Rylan Jessica Rylan] * [https://permacomputing.net Permacomputing] * [https://mindat.org mindat.org] * [https://www.1010.co.uk/org/ Martin Howse] * [https://www.libitasibungu.com/about Libita Sibungu] * [https://www.ioanavrememoser.com..."

Inspiration, references, attribution and friends working with similar material - in no particular order:

* [https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/general_el_the_unit.html 1920's crystal radio tech]
* [https://www.discogs.com/artist/361941-Jessica-Rylan Jessica Rylan]
* [https://permacomputing.net Permacomputing]
* [https://mindat.org mindat.org]
* [https://www.1010.co.uk/org/ Martin Howse]
* [https://www.libitasibungu.com/about Libita Sibungu]
* [https://www.ioanavrememoser.com Ioana Vreme Moser]
* [https://rosannamartin.com/About Rosanna Martin]
* [https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Lunetta_Synthesis Luntta synthesis]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neptune_Frost Neptune Frost film] (thanks Libita)
* [https://boulderdashzine.bandcamp.com Stones Drones Noise Club & Boulderdash] by [https://yiskahsounds.bandcamp.com/music Jessica Beechey]
* [https://fuckoffaimusic.com the fuck off ai music movement]

Cornish semiconductor corporation

2026-06-06T10:53:04Z

Cornish semiconductor:

[[ File:Logo.png|300px|right]]

Making techno using naturally grown semiconductors fossicked from mine waste around Cornwall. Also providing workshops for kids (called [https://thentrythis.org/projects/organised-atoms Organised Atoms]).

In an age of harmful technological myths detached from the earth - these sounds are an attempt to reconnect with the dirt.

This site documents research with [[natural semiconductors]], new [[synths|synth designs]] and sounds. The technology used (tickling the surface of crystals with thin 'cat's whisker' wires to create point contacts) comes from the [[semiconductor history|early days of radio]], when the newly discovered (and not really understood) properties of certain minerals to have a asymmetric response to electricity (now known as semiconductors) was used to convert radio signals into sound. Read more about [[inspiration|inspirations, references and linked work]].

----

= News =

== 01/06/2026: Arts council funding ==

[[File:Lottery_Logo_Black_RGB.webp|800px|center]]

This project is now supported using public funding by an Arts Council England Research and Development grant. There will be a lot more updates to this site soon, these are some of the things in the proposal:

* Investigating Cornish mine sites - there are many thousands of abandoned mines in Cornwall each with their own histories and unique crystal material which has grown differently, all of which seem to create distinct sonic possibilities.
* Rediscovering the first electronic 'devices' (crystal radios) from the 1920's, which were much more obviously linked with the earth through their use of natural minerals to convert radio waves into sound.
* Developing new electronic instruments which can incorporate this pre-silicon semiconductor technology. The aim is to use Cornish granite, soldered copper pipes, and CNC milled copper circuit boards alongside natural semiconductors to use raw materials to embrace, rather than obfuscate the earthly roots of our technology.
* Record and release music to document specific locations and histories of the sites the semiconductings come from (who worked there e.g. the Bal Maidens and stories we know of the sites).

I'll be updating [[ACE R&D project|this page with ideas, plans and notes]] from this project and using [[:Category:ACE R&D]] for pages made in work from this funding.

== 14/06/2026: Live at Sheffield Pattern Club==

[[File:Live_at_Pattern_Club_Sheffield.png|300px|left]]

Time: 7pm-9pm, Sun 14th June 2026
Place: Sheffield Pattern Club, 2-4 Matilda St (next to EE/opposite popeys), Sheffield S1 4QD
Cost: £3/8/12 tickets
Dry bar: Soft drinks + alcohol free – please BYOB if you’d like to drink something else

Sunday evening experimentation hosted by Sheffield Pattern Club, showcasing unconventional ways of generating crackles, drones and kick drums.

Featuring:
* Rian Treanor – bringing handmade interfaces for participatory experiments
* Cornish Semiconductor Corporation – aka Dave Griffiths up from Cornwall. Dave will be exploring his handmade circuits, generating sounds using crystals that he’s ‘fossicked’ from mine waste.
* Dundass – Lyra haunting us with augmented textiles

[https://www.tickettailor.com/events/patternclub/2212197 Tickets here]

== 10/05/2026: Release: Arsenic Labyrinth & Live at Stones Drones & Noise ==

Limited Edition Cassette & MP3 [https://cornish-semiconductor.bandcamp.com/album/arsenic-labyrinth release on bandcamp]

[[File:Title2.jpg|500px|right]]

[[File:Tapes.jpg|500px|right]]

Side A: arsenic labyrinth: arsenopyrite semiconductor square waves resonant filtered using chalcocite crystals, both fossicked from mine waste dumps at Wheal Prosper, St Hilary, Cornwall. Sequencing, modulation and rhythm sounds using a pair of second hand volca modulars. Circuits adapted for natural semiconductor use from Roland TB-303 style ladder design.

Wheal Prosper was originally part of Marazion Mines, and later (after 1860) Prosper United. From 1832-49 14,600 tons of copper ore were sold, worth £60,000. Minor sales of tin, arsenic and lead ore are also reported. Today (2026) the site is accessible via a public footpath and consists of many overgrown dumps, crisscrossed by tracks with one large area of exposed mine waste. Melanterite is abundant here, and blows about in the wind when you disturb the surface rock.

Side B: live at Stones Drones and Noise Club at Gwithti an Pystri, Falmouth, 28th Febuary 2026. During the performance the following Cornish semiconducting minerals were switched between: Square wave voice: ◇ chalcopyrite and galena from Ale & Cakes Mine, Gwennap, ◇ chalcocite from Penstruthal mine, Lanner, ◇ cassiterite from Unity Wood Mine, Gwennap. Triangle wave voice ◇ chalcocite from Penstruthal mine, Lanner, ◇ arsenopyrite from Penlee beach, Newlyn. Noise voice: ◇ pyrite from Nangiles Mine. Distortion (see circuit diagram) on 4 track ambience: paired chalcopyrite crystals from Ale & Cakes Mine. Includes field recording fragments from Wheal Busy, Chacewater.

Thank you to Jessica Beechey and Steve Patterson for giving the world stones drones and noise, and recording and kindly providing the cassette of this performance.

The circuit board on front cover is the experimental natural semiconductor diode ladder filter used extensively on side a of the recording.

Recorded in Cornwall in 2026 by Dave Griffiths

<html>
<iframe style="border: 0; width: 400px; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=344039370/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://cornish-semiconductor.bandcamp.com/album/arsenic-labyrinth">Arsenic Labyrinth by cornish semiconductor corporation</a></iframe>
</html>

----

== 28/02/2026 Stones Drones Noise at Gwithti an Pystri, Falmouth, Cornwall ==

Performance using the [[Crystal Log Synth]] at [https://www.instagram.com/stonesdronesnoiseclub/ Stones Drones Noise Club], see also [https://boulderdashzine.bandcamp.com Boulderdash Zine]

[[File:SDNCGig.png|500px|center]]

[[Stones Drones Noise thoughts]]

----

== 14/12/2025: 220 below adit (techno from mine waste) - album on bandcamp ==

Tracks made entirely with material (mostly chalcopyrite, pyrite, galena) from Ale & Cakes mine, Gwennap, Cornwall (now United Downs Raceway).

All proceeds will go to the [https://panzifoundation.org Panzi Foundation], supporting victims of sexual violence in conflict mining areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo, an illegal exploitation that ends in our laptops and mobile phones.

<html>
<iframe style="border: 0; width: 600px; height: 406px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2105542465/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/artwork=small/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://cornish-semiconductor.bandcamp.com/album/220-below-adit-techno-from-mine-waste">220 below adit (techno from mine waste) by cornish semiconductor corporation</a></iframe>
</html>

----

== 2025- Soundcloud tracks ==

Test tones and beats, [https://soundcloud.com/cornish_semiconductor a progression of experiments on soundcloud]

<html>
<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2191968347&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/cornish_semiconductor" title="cornish semiconductor corporation" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">cornish semiconductor corporation</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/cornish_semiconductor/dance-of-the-arsenides-lollingite-squarewaves" title="dance of the arsenides (penlee löllingite squarewaves)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">dance of the arsenides (penlee löllingite squarewaves)</a></div>
</html>

----

=== 06/03/2025 Live at 0v ⏚ zero volts Constant in Brussels ===

[https://soundcloud.com/cornish_semiconductor/live-at-0v-at-constant-in-brussels-060325 Recording on soundcloud] 4 cardboard boxes, an echo pedal, streaming artefacts and the funniest end of performance accidental comedy moment. Part of 0v ⏚ zero volts at Constant, Chaussée de Jette 388 Jetsesteenweg, Brussels. "Two days of return to ground, research of electronic legacies, recognition of mineral ancestors, dissolution of black boxes."

This short streamed performance highlighting the rawest sounds based on the organised atoms circuits was followed by a microscope tour of crystals from various mines around Cornwall. It was a while before I started this project, but doing it made me realise that this whole thing would be worth looking into a bit more.

[[ File:Galenatitle.jpg|500px|center]]

----

Variscan Coast Synthesis

2026-06-06T10:52:17Z

Cornish semiconductor:

A new modular approach, using Cornish granite, CNC cut circuit boards and a lot of magnets.

= Modules =

* [[noisegen]]
* [[squarewave]]
* [[diode ladder filter]]
* [[4 way low pass gate]]
* [[general purpose amp]]
* [[noisegen amp]]
* [[shift sequencer]]
* [[counter]]

[[Category:Electronics]]
[[Category:ACE R&D]]
[[Category:Variscan]]

Variscan Coast Synthesis

2026-06-06T07:24:19Z

Cornish semiconductor: /* Modules */

A new modular approach, using Cornish granite and CNC cut circuit boards.

= Modules =

* [[noisegen]]
* [[squarewave]]
* [[diode ladder filter]]
* [[4 way low pass gate]]
* [[general purpose amp]]
* [[noisegen amp]]
* [[shift sequencer]]
* [[counter]]

[[Category:Electronics]]
[[Category:ACE R&D]]
[[Category:Variscan]]

Variscan Coast Synthesis

2026-06-06T07:23:36Z

Cornish semiconductor:

A new modular approach, using Cornish granite and CNC cut circuit boards.

= Modules =

* [[noisegen]]
* [[noisegen amp]]
* [[squarewave]]
* [[diode ladder filter]]
* [[4 way low pass gate]]
* [[shift sequencer]]
* [[counter]]

[[Category:Electronics]]
[[Category:ACE R&D]]
[[Category:Variscan]]

Category:Variscan

2026-06-06T07:22:55Z

Cornish semiconductor: Created page with "Pages concerning the variscan coast synthesis rig."

Pages concerning the variscan coast synthesis rig.

Noisegen

2026-06-06T07:22:04Z

Cornish semiconductor:

[[File:NoisegenPic.jpg|right|500px]]

The simplest and purest way to sonify a semiconducting crystal, the noise generator isolates the fluctuations in current passing through a crystal. As the resistance of minerals and samples vary, the potentiometer, RV1 allows you to set the bias for the transistor to tune it to different materials, by passing over the breakdown thresholds of the semiconductor (which tend to be quite low in natural materials). The output requires further amplification to convert it from a fluctuating current to a voltage. This stage will be integrated in future versions, but it's nice to have such a simple circuit. Originally built with an opamp, the transistor provides a simpler approach which seemed to work more reliably with a wider range of semiconducting material. On many materials the polarity makes quite a big difference, so if it's not responding well try reversing the crystal/point contacts.

It can provide the simplest approach to listening to the difference between different minerals from different localities. There is also noise inherent in the transistor, but the difference between point contacts with [[pyrite|pyrites]] and [[galena]] compared with touching ordinary metals are obvious. Also tested on a 1920's galena/cat's whisker radio point contact.

===Inputs===

* Two connectors for crystal (in diode setup) via the on board connector.
* Audio input disconnected.

===Controls===

* Transistor bias/current limiter potentiometer

===Outputs===

* Audio signal

===Schematic===

[[File:NoisegenSchematic.png]]

===PCB layout===

[[File:NoisegenPcb.png]]

[[Category:ACE R&D]]
[[Category:Variscan]]

Noisegen

2026-06-06T07:21:32Z

Cornish semiconductor:

Noisegen

2026-06-06T07:20:09Z

Cornish semiconductor: /* Inputs */

[[File:NoisegenPic.jpg|right|500px]]

The simplest and purest way to sonify a semiconducting crystal, the noise generator isolates the fluctuations in current passing over the crystal. As the resistance of minerals and samples vary, the potentiometer, RV1 allows you to set the bias for the transistor to tune it to different materials, by passing over the breakdown thresholds of the semiconductor (which tend to be quite low in natural materials). The output requires further amplification to convert it from a fluctuating current to a voltage. This stage will be integrated in future versions, but it's nice to have such a simple circuit. Originally built with an opamp, the transistor provides a simpler approach which seemed to work more reliably with a wider range of semiconducting material. On many materials the polarity makes quite a big difference, so if it's not responding well try reversing the crystal/point contacts.

It can provide the simplest approach to listening to the difference between different minerals from different localities. There is also noise inherent in the transistor, but the difference between point contacts with [[pyrite|pyrites]] and [[galena]] compared with touching ordinary metals are obvious. Also tested on a 1920's galena/cat's whisker radio point contact.

===Inputs===

* Two connectors for crystal (in diode setup) via the on board connector.
* Audio input disconnected.

===Controls===

* Transistor bias/current limiter potentiometer

===Outputs===

* Audio signal

===Schematic===

[[File:NoisegenSchematic.png]]

===PCB layout===

[[File:NoisegenPcb.png]]

[[Category:ACE R&D]]

Noisegen

2026-06-06T07:18:50Z

Cornish semiconductor:

[[File:NoisegenPic.jpg|right|500px]]

The simplest and purest way to sonify a semiconducting crystal, the noise generator isolates the fluctuations in current passing over the crystal. As the resistance of minerals and samples vary, the potentiometer, RV1 allows you to set the bias for the transistor to tune it to different materials, by passing over the breakdown thresholds of the semiconductor (which tend to be quite low in natural materials). The output requires further amplification to convert it from a fluctuating current to a voltage. This stage will be integrated in future versions, but it's nice to have such a simple circuit. Originally built with an opamp, the transistor provides a simpler approach which seemed to work more reliably with a wider range of semiconducting material. On many materials the polarity makes quite a big difference, so if it's not responding well try reversing the crystal/point contacts.

It can provide the simplest approach to listening to the difference between different minerals from different localities. There is also noise inherent in the transistor, but the difference between point contacts with [[pyrite|pyrites]] and [[galena]] compared with touching ordinary metals are obvious. Also tested on a 1920's galena/cat's whisker radio point contact.

===Inputs===

* Two connectors for crystal (in diode setup)

===Controls===

* Transistor bias/current limiter potentiometer

===Outputs===

* Audio signal

===Schematic===

[[File:NoisegenSchematic.png]]

===PCB layout===

[[File:NoisegenPcb.png]]

[[Category:ACE R&D]]

Noisegen

2026-06-06T07:17:54Z

Cornish semiconductor:

[[File:NoisegenPic.jpg|right|500px]]

The simplest and purest way to sonify a semiconducting crystal, the noise generator isolates the fluctuations in current passing over the crystal. As the resistance of minerals and samples vary, the potentiometer, RV1 allows you to set the bias for the transistor to tune it to different materials, by passing over the breakdown thresholds of the semiconductor (which tend to be quite low in natural materials). The output requires further amplification to convert it from a fluctuating current to a voltage. This stage will be integrated in future versions, but it's nice to have such a simple circuit. Originally built with an opamp, the transistor provides a simpler approach which seemed to work more reliably with a wider range of semiconducting material. On many materials the polarity makes quite a big difference, so if it's not responding well try reversing the crystal/point contacts.

It can provide the simplest approach to listening to the difference between different minerals from different localities. There is also noise inherent in the transistor, but the difference between point contacts with [[pyrite|pyrites]] and [[galena]] compared with touching ordinary metals are obvious. Also tested on a 1920's galena/cat's whisker radio point contact.

===Inputs===

* Two connectors for crystal (in diode setup)

===Controls===

* Transistor bias/current limiter potentiometer

===Outputs===

* Audio signal

[[File:NoisegenSchematic.png]]
[[File:NoisegenPcb.png]]

[[Category:ACE R&D]]

Noisegen

2026-06-06T07:17:05Z

Cornish semiconductor:

[[File:NoisegenPic.jpg|right|500px]]

The simplest and purest way to sonify a semiconducting crystal, the noise generator isolates the fluctuations in current passing over the crystal. As the resistance of minerals and samples vary, the potentiometer, RV1 allows you to set the bias for the transistor to tune it to different materials, by passing over the breakdown thresholds of the semiconductor (which tend to be quite low in natural materials). The output requires further amplification to convert it from a fluctuating current to a voltage. This stage will be integrated in future versions, but it's nice to have such a simple circuit. Originally built with an opamp, the transistor provides a simpler approach which seemed to work more reliably with a wider range of semiconducting material. On many materials the polarity makes quite a big difference, so if it's not responding well try reversing the crystal/point contacts.

It can provide the simplest approach to listening to the difference between different minerals from different localities. There is also noise inherent in the transistor, but the difference between point contacts with pyrites and galena compared with touching ordinary metals are obvious. Also tested on a 1920's galena/cat's whisker radio point contact.

===Inputs===

* Two connectors for crystal (in diode setup)

===Controls===

* Transistor bias/current limiter potentiometer

===Outputs===

* Audio signal

[[File:NoisegenSchematic.png]]
[[File:NoisegenPcb.png]]

[[Category:ACE R&D]]

Noisegen

2026-06-06T07:16:06Z

Cornish semiconductor:

[[File:NoisegenPic.jpg|right|500px]]

The simplest and purest way to sonify a semiconducting crystal, the noise generator isolates the fluctuations in current passing over the crystal. As the resistance of minerals and samples vary, the potentiometer, RV1 allows you to set the bias for the transistor to tune it to different materials. The output requires further amplification to convert it from a fluctuating current to a voltage. This stage will be integrated in future versions, but it's nice to have such a simple circuit. Originally built with an opamp, the transistor provides a simpler approach which seemed to work more reliably with a wider range of semiconducting material. On many materials the polarity makes quite a big difference, so if it's not responding well try reversing the crystal/point contacts.

It can provide the simplest approach to listening to the difference between different minerals from different localities. There is also noise inherent in the transistor, but the difference between point contacts with pyrites and galena compared with touching ordinary metals are obvious. Also tested on a 1920's galena/cat's whisker radio point contact.

===Inputs===

* Two connectors for crystal (in diode setup)

===Controls===

* Transistor bias/current limiter potentiometer

===Outputs===

* Audio signal

[[File:NoisegenSchematic.png]]
[[File:NoisegenPcb.png]]

[[Category:ACE R&D]]

Noisegen

2026-06-06T07:12:42Z

Cornish semiconductor: /* Controls */

Noisegen

2026-06-06T07:12:24Z

Cornish semiconductor:

Noisegen

2026-06-06T07:09:53Z

Cornish semiconductor:

Noisegen

2026-06-02T07:39:22Z

Cornish semiconductor:

Noisegen

2026-06-02T07:35:02Z

Cornish semiconductor: Created page with "File:NoisegenPic.jpg:right:500px File:NoisegenSchematic.png File:NoisegenPcb.png"

[[File:NoisegenPic.jpg:right:500px]]

[[File:NoisegenSchematic.png]]
[[File:NoisegenPcb.png]]

Variscan Coast Synthesis

2026-06-02T07:32:18Z

Cornish semiconductor:

File:NoisegenSchematic.png

2026-06-02T07:29:03Z

Cornish semiconductor:

File:NoisegenPcb.png

2026-06-02T07:28:30Z

Cornish semiconductor:

File:NoisegenPic.jpg

2026-06-02T07:28:02Z

Cornish semiconductor:

ACE R&D project

2026-06-02T07:13:33Z

Cornish semiconductor: /* 01/06/26 */

==01/06/26==

Project announcement and added/working on [[semiconductor history]] and [[cat's whisker setups]] after questions on mastodon. A sizable proportion of the materials budget might be going on ebay purchases of crystal radio parts!

==30/05/26==

Starting a log here of the work done. The first entry is things I said I'd do so I can keep a check on it (chopped up from proposal)!

End up with unique sounds and electronic music created with instruments I will create designed to work with natural semiconductors collected from Cornish mine waste.

* The music itself will document the specific locations and history of the site the material comes from (who worked there e.g. the Bal Maidens, stories we know of the site, its industrial heritage, etc.
* The instruments will be artworks in their own right
* I will use the time to research more interesting and complex musical potential.
* The aim will be to create instruments that focus on this that highlight raw materials using Cornish granite, soldered copper pipes, CNC milled copper circuit boards alongside the semiconducting minerals themselves.
* test these new sounds and prototype instruments in a live setting
* develop existing and new collaborations within this community and further afield
* The instruments would also be designed to be used by other people in future

All sounds, music and designs created will be published online as creative commons and open hardware for others to follow and provide feedback.

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto"
|+ Project plan from proposal
! Start !! End !! Task
|-
| 02/05/2026 || 31/07/2026 || Researching history of semiconductor development from early 1900's
|-
| 02/05/2026 || 01/09/2026 || Researching mine history and searching mine sites for semiconducting material
|-
| 01/06/2026 || 30/10/2026 || Prototype instrument experiments based on research
|-
| 01/06/2026 || 31/10/2026 || Music making and test performances
|-
| 01/09/2026 || 31/10/2026 || Documentation, publishing recordings, blog posts
|}

I've started by [[semiconductor history|looking into the history of semiconductor usage]].

[[Category:ACE R&D]]

ACE R&D project

2026-06-02T07:12:03Z

Cornish semiconductor: /* 01/06/26 */

==01/06/26==

Project announcement and added/working on [[semiconductor history]] and [[cat's whisker setups]] after questions on mastodon.

==30/05/26==

Starting a log here of the work done. The first entry is things I said I'd do so I can keep a check on it (chopped up from proposal)!

End up with unique sounds and electronic music created with instruments I will create designed to work with natural semiconductors collected from Cornish mine waste.

* The music itself will document the specific locations and history of the site the material comes from (who worked there e.g. the Bal Maidens, stories we know of the site, its industrial heritage, etc.
* The instruments will be artworks in their own right
* I will use the time to research more interesting and complex musical potential.
* The aim will be to create instruments that focus on this that highlight raw materials using Cornish granite, soldered copper pipes, CNC milled copper circuit boards alongside the semiconducting minerals themselves.
* test these new sounds and prototype instruments in a live setting
* develop existing and new collaborations within this community and further afield
* The instruments would also be designed to be used by other people in future

All sounds, music and designs created will be published online as creative commons and open hardware for others to follow and provide feedback.

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto"
|+ Project plan from proposal
! Start !! End !! Task
|-
| 02/05/2026 || 31/07/2026 || Researching history of semiconductor development from early 1900's
|-
| 02/05/2026 || 01/09/2026 || Researching mine history and searching mine sites for semiconducting material
|-
| 01/06/2026 || 30/10/2026 || Prototype instrument experiments based on research
|-
| 01/06/2026 || 31/10/2026 || Music making and test performances
|-
| 01/09/2026 || 31/10/2026 || Documentation, publishing recordings, blog posts
|}

I've started by [[semiconductor history|looking into the history of semiconductor usage]].

[[Category:ACE R&D]]