[Leica] Digilux - was Tina and Her Computer: Lightening Strike!

[pdzwig at summaventures.com (Peter Dzwig)]

I used - years ago - to work on the properties of GaAs.

As far as I can recall sitting here thinking about it, GaAs might be more 
resistant than Si - wider band gap - but not impervious. Basically putting a 
huge bolt of energy into any semiconductor/semi-insulator will cause a surge 
of 
current, whose properties may or may not be ameliorated by device in which 
it 
sits; but totally resistant, no.

But basically Len, if you're that close I worry about the Digilux ;-)

Peter

Leonard J Kapner wrote:

> This is another aspect of electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) phenomenon. Someone
> wrote a science-fiction book about it a decade or so ago. Nuclear weapon 
> air
> bursts at strategic locations knocked out all unhardened defense and
> communication sites, rendering us suddenly deaf, dumb and blind and unable
> to operate our vehicles. Not to mention dead, too... I understand that
> gallium arsenide circuits are resistant to EMP rendering them inoperable;
> not so with conventional silicon.
> 
> I wonder if the CPU in my Digilux 2 is made of gallium arsenide? :-)
> 
> Len
>