[Laser] Semi OT

[Kerry Banke]

Kurt - I believe the smoke detectors emit Alpha particles that are 
stopped by most any solid material ( even a sheet of paper) so the 
particle may not make it much  past the outside surface of your 
detector.  I have been purchasing some of the cheap detector units 
available from Russia  (off Ebay)  for less than $20 including 
shipping. These are the entire Geiger tube plus electronics. These 
will detect the smoke detector source up close as well as the older 
lantern mantles that are radio active.
  - Kerry N6IZW -

At 04:07 PM 8/22/2006, you wrote:
>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
>
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