Pure silicon is used as a photon detector. An incoming photon canstrike the surface and excite electrons from the valence band tothe conduction band, where they can be counted.
a) Compute the number of electrons you would expect to countif a silicon detector is struck with a 1.04-MeV gamma ray producedin the decay of a ¹³⁶Cs nucleus.
b) Explain why the counting of electrons should be moreprecise if the detector is cooled well below roomtemperature.