08-03-2024, 07:23 AM
(07-03-2024, 11:02 PM)Slidertogrid Wrote: I wonder what would happen if someone developed a pulse weapon of some type that knocked out silicon, You could argue that a lot of sensitive electronics are shielded for example a car ECU but the wiring leading to it isn't. If a big enough pulse hit the wiring could it still cause damage? We have 'put all of our eggs in one basket' with electronic control, if it was knocked out completely we would have no electricity, water, waste water control. traffic lights, the list goes on. I have a car with no electronics but if there was no petrol pumps working it wouldn't go for long... I do wonder how realistic this kind of threat is...?
This is one effect from a nuclear weapon with it's electromagnetic pulse. It has been said that the Russian rod tubes were used so late partly because they were less prone to issues from that source although I have always wondered a bit about the truth in that as there are likely other components in circuits which do use semiconductor or similar fine tolerance materials which may be adversly affected by heavy radiation. It's true to say though that the semiconductor industry, with a view to military requirements, has done much work there. The Russians were slower to get there.
Technologies were developed which helped like "Silicon on Sapphire" and much research has been done: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_hardening
