Editing Semiconductor detector (section)

=== Silicon detectors ===
[[File:A Forward Silicon Vertex Detector (FVTX) sensor on a microscope.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|A Forward Silicon Vertex Detector (FVTX) sensor of [[PHENIX detector]] on a microscope showing silicon strips spacing at 75 microns.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.phenix.bnl.gov/WWW/publish/brooks/silicon/reviews/Nov10/talks/Sensors_FPHX_11_10.pdf|title=Sensors/FPHX Readout Chip WBS 1.4.1/1.4.2|last1=Kapustinsky |first1=Jon S.|date=17 November 2010|access-date=7 August 2017}}</ref>]]

Most silicon [[elementary particle|particle]] detectors work, in principle, by [[doping (semiconductor)|doping]] narrow (usually around 100 micrometers wide) [[microstrip detector|silicon strips]] to turn them into [[diode]]s, which are then [[p–n junction#Reverse bias|reverse biased]]. As charged particles pass through these strips, they cause small ionization currents that can be detected and measured. Arranging thousands of these detectors around a collision point in a [[particle accelerator]] can yield an accurate picture of what paths particles take. Silicon detectors have a much higher resolution in tracking charged particles than older technologies such as [[cloud chamber]]s or [[wire chamber]]s. The drawback is that silicon detectors are much more expensive than these older technologies and require sophisticated cooling to reduce leakage currents (noise source). They also suffer degradation over time from [[radiation]], however, this can be greatly reduced thanks to the [[Lazarus effect]].