[Laser] Semi OT

[KD7JYK]

Seems to me this should be possible and I have heard it may be...

How would I detect radiation from a source such as the pelet in a smoke
detector using a piece of semiconductive material?  I've tried putting a
solar cell on an amplifier, but don't hear any ticks as the particle passes
through.  I've tried LEDs, capacitors, anything I can think of than may
produce a slight amount of energy.  What about a large transistor?  A CDS
cell?  One idea I have, that I have yet to try is to run voltage through a
diode in reverse, just below the breakdown point and see if an energy
particle is enough to push it over the edge for a second.  I may be wrong
entirely, but there must be something along these lines that may work.

Any ideas?

Kurt