Natural semiconductors - Revision history

Cornish semiconductor: /* Further tests */

2026-03-21T15:49:11Z

Further tests

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:49, 21 March 2026
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	= Further tests =		= Further tests =

	Note the different volts per division on the Y axis.		Note the different volts per division on the Y axis (channel 2).

	Pyrite from Carharrack Mine		Pyrite from Carharrack Mine

Cornish semiconductor: /* More tests */

2026-03-21T15:48:43Z

More tests

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:48, 21 March 2026
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	[[List of minerals tested]]		[[List of minerals tested]]

	= ~~More~~ tests =		= Further tests =

			Note the different volts per division on the Y axis.

	Pyrite from Carharrack Mine		Pyrite from Carharrack Mine

Cornish semiconductor: /* More tests */

2026-03-21T15:46:52Z

More tests

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:46, 21 March 2026
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	[[File:Galena-ale-cakes.png]]		[[File:Galena-ale-cakes.png]]

	~~Casitterite~~ from Wheal Unity Wood (this specimen: https://www.mindat.org/photo-1393489.html)		Cassiterite from Wheal Unity Wood (this specimen: https://www.mindat.org/photo-1393489.html)

	[[File:Cassitterite-wheal-unity-wood.png]]		[[File:Cassitterite-wheal-unity-wood.png]]

	[[Category:Minerals]]		[[Category:Minerals]]

Cornish semiconductor at 15:45, 21 March 2026

2026-03-21T15:45:59Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:45, 21 March 2026
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	[[List of minerals tested]]		[[List of minerals tested]]

			= More tests =

			Pyrite from Carharrack Mine

			[[File:Pyrite-carharrack.png]]

			Arsenopyrite from Penlee beach (similar to: https://www.mindat.org/photo-1640586.html)

			[[File:Arsenopyrite-penlee.png]]

			Chalcocite from Penstruthal (this specimen: https://www.mindat.org/photo-1396849.html)

			[[File:Chalcocite-penstruthal.png]]

			Galena from Ale & Cakes Mine (this specimen: https://www.mindat.org/photo-1600925.html)

			[[File:Galena-ale-cakes.png]]

			Casitterite from Wheal Unity Wood (this specimen: https://www.mindat.org/photo-1393489.html)

			[[File:Cassitterite-wheal-unity-wood.png]]

	[[Category:Minerals]]		[[Category:Minerals]]

Cornish semiconductor at 22:38, 26 February 2026

2026-02-26T22:38:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:38, 26 February 2026
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			[[File:TestingCurves.jpg\|800px]]

	Semiconductors have become critical to the world in which we live, and yet the knowledge about what they are and what they do is quite limited, even with people trained in electronics. They are materials where the electrical current they conduct is non linearly dependent on the voltage level. The simplest semiconductor component is the diode, commonly understood to only pass current in one direction across it's two terminals. It actually does two things:		Semiconductors have become critical to the world in which we live, and yet the knowledge about what they are and what they do is quite limited, even with people trained in electronics. They are materials where the electrical current they conduct is non linearly dependent on the voltage level. The simplest semiconductor component is the diode, commonly understood to only pass current in one direction across it's two terminals. It actually does two things:

Cornish semiconductor at 16:01, 6 January 2026

2026-01-06T16:01:12Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:01, 6 January 2026
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	Natural semiconductors, such as [[pyrite]] or [[galena]] grew millions of years ago, approximately 270, in the case of Cornish mineralisation. Material from different locations (sometimes only metres apart) have different patterns of crystallisation due to slightly different temperatures or impurities. These changes can also affect their semiconductor behaviour.		Natural semiconductors, such as [[pyrite]] or [[galena]] grew millions of years ago, approximately 270, in the case of Cornish mineralisation. Material from different locations (sometimes only metres apart) have different patterns of crystallisation due to slightly different temperatures or impurities. These changes can also affect their semiconductor behaviour.

			[[File:Plots.png\|1000px]]

	[[List of minerals tested]]		[[List of minerals tested]]

Cornish semiconductor at 17:49, 31 December 2025

2025-12-31T17:49:58Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:49, 31 December 2025
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	Semiconductors have become critical to the world in which we live, and yet the knowledge about what they are and what they do is quite limited, even with people trained in electronics. They are materials where the electrical current ~~conducted~~ is non linearly dependent on the voltage. In the ~~case of a~~ diode ~~(the simplest semiconductor)~~, it does two things:		Semiconductors have become critical to the world in which we live, and yet the knowledge about what they are and what they do is quite limited, even with people trained in electronics. They are materials where the electrical current they conduct is non linearly dependent on the voltage level. The simplest semiconductor component is the diode, commonly understood to only pass current in one direction across it's two terminals. It actually does two things:

	# it won't start conducting until a certain voltage has been reached ~~across it's terminals~~		# It won't start conducting until a certain voltage has been reached.
	# ~~this~~ threshold is different depending on which way round it's been connected (it has asymmetry)		# This threshold is different depending on which way round it's been connected (it has asymmetry).

	The ~~common idea of a diode only passing current in one direction fits into this - the~~ forward threshold is much (much) lower than the reverse. With silicon diodes this is about 0.7 volts one way and 100 volts in the other. Different semiconducting materials are used to obtain different results, germanium diodes have a lower forward threshold of 0.3 volts.		The forward threshold voltage is much (much) lower than the reverse. With silicon diodes this is about 0.7 volts one way and 100 volts in the other. Different semiconducting materials are used to obtain different results, germanium diodes have a lower forward threshold of 0.3 volts.

			The theory of how electrons move through crystal lattices explaining why this happens was only understood around 30 years after they entered common use.

	= Natural vs factory grown semiconductors =		= Natural vs factory grown semiconductors =

	The silicon used in our technology may be grown in a factory, but the raw material still has to be mined. Mostly this comes from high purity quartz ~~mined~~ from ~~parts~~ of China. This material is purified further and grown into mono-crystalline blobs of silicon metal.		The silicon used in our technology may be grown in a factory, but the raw material still has to be mined. Mostly this comes from high purity quartz extracted from a handful of regions of China. This material is purified further and grown into mono-crystalline blobs of silicon metal.

	Natural semiconductors, such as [[pyrite]] or [[galena]] grew millions of years ago		Natural semiconductors, such as [[pyrite]] or [[galena]] grew millions of years ago, approximately 270, in the case of Cornish mineralisation. Material from different locations (sometimes only metres apart) have different patterns of crystallisation due to slightly different temperatures or impurities. These changes can also affect their semiconductor behaviour.

	[[List of minerals tested]]		[[List of minerals tested]]

Cornish semiconductor at 17:38, 31 December 2025

2025-12-31T17:38:39Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:38, 31 December 2025
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			Semiconductors have become critical to the world in which we live, and yet the knowledge about what they are and what they do is quite limited, even with people trained in electronics. They are materials where the electrical current conducted is non linearly dependent on the voltage. In the case of a diode (the simplest semiconductor), it does two things:

			# it won't start conducting until a certain voltage has been reached across it's terminals
			# this threshold is different depending on which way round it's been connected (it has asymmetry)

			The common idea of a diode only passing current in one direction fits into this - the forward threshold is much (much) lower than the reverse. With silicon diodes this is about 0.7 volts one way and 100 volts in the other. Different semiconducting materials are used to obtain different results, germanium diodes have a lower forward threshold of 0.3 volts.

			= Natural vs factory grown semiconductors =

			The silicon used in our technology may be grown in a factory, but the raw material still has to be mined. Mostly this comes from high purity quartz mined from parts of China. This material is purified further and grown into mono-crystalline blobs of silicon metal.

			Natural semiconductors, such as [[pyrite]] or [[galena]] grew millions of years ago

	[[List of minerals tested]]		[[List of minerals tested]]

Cornish semiconductor: Created page with " List of minerals tested Category:Minerals"

2025-12-31T15:18:09Z

Created page with " List of minerals tested Category:Minerals"

New page

[[List of minerals tested]]

[[Category:Minerals]]