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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsBrandon Li’s Semiconductor Simulator lets you draw circuits and watch electric fields and charge carriers change as voltage is applied. Instead of showing only a circuit’s input and output, it aims to make the physics inside components visible. You can try it in a browser, download a free desktop version, or buy the Steam edition.
What is Brandon Li’s Semiconductor Simulator?
It is an interactive educational simulator for exploring circuits and semiconductor devices. You place components and materials in a two-dimensional workspace, apply voltage, and observe fields and the behavior of electrons and holes. The project grew from creator Brandon Li’s desire to understand semiconductor operation more deeply; [Hackster’s profile of the project](https://www.hackster.io/news/meet-the-quantum-physicist-who-built-a-physics-level-semiconductor-simulator-7e4c4d4c4c4d) identifies Li as a quantum physicist.
The key distinction from a conventional circuit simulator is the emphasis on what happens inside a device. It is intended to help learners build intuition, not just calculate circuit-level results. The [official project site](https://www.falstad.com/circuit/) presents the experience as drawing circuits and seeing what happens when voltage is applied.
How does the simulation work?
According to the [Steam description](https://store.steampowered.com/app/), the solver operates on a two-dimensional grid. It computes Maxwell’s equations for the electric field in the plane and the magnetic field perpendicular to it, alongside drift-diffusion equations for electrons and holes. The electromagnetic portion uses a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) discretization.
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In practical terms, the software can visualize electromagnetic fields and charge carriers as circuit conditions change. It includes metals, semiconductors, and dielectric materials. This is a simplified, visual model—not a guarantee that every plotted effect corresponds to a fully detailed real-world device.
What can you simulate?
The examples range from basic circuit behavior to semiconductor and digital-device demonstrations. The [official examples page](https://www.falstad.com/circuit/semiconductor/) includes:
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- Basic circuits: resistor, RC and LC circuits, bridge rectifier, transformer, and Ohm’s law.
- Diodes and junctions: PN-junction diode and visualizations, plus Schottky diode.
- Transistors: NPN and PNP BJTs; enhancement- and depletion-mode NMOSFETs; and NJFETs.
- Other semiconductor applications: LED and thermoelectric cooler.
- Digital circuits: ring oscillator and DRAM cell.
The Steam listing also describes metal-semiconductor junctions, contact potentials, heterojunctions, and thermoelectricity. Its version 2.0 feature notes include velocity saturation, radiative, trap-assisted, and Auger recombination, as well as user-defined materials. Availability of a specific example or feature can vary by edition and version.
Which version should you use?
| Version | Cost and access | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Browser | Free; runs on the project site | A convenient way to try the simulator, with fewer examples and features than the desktop build, according to the official site. |
| Desktop download | Free; downloadable from the official site | The site describes it as much faster than the browser version and says it includes more features and examples. |
| Steam | Paid. The Steam listing showed $4.99 when checked; price may change. | Mostly the desktop experience, with Steam Workshop integration, cloud saves, and automatic updates among its added conveniences. See Brandon’s Semiconductor Simulator on Steam. |
The official site says the Steam version is a way to support the project if you can afford it. If you only want to explore the core idea, start with the browser version; if you want the larger example set and faster desktop performance, try the free desktop build. Steam is most relevant if its sharing and convenience features matter to you.
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At the time of the Steam listing cited above, the stated requirements included Windows, Apple-silicon macOS, and SteamOS/Linux, with 500 MB minimum storage and 1 GB recommended memory. Intel-based Macs were not supported. Check the live listing before buying, since platform support and requirements can change.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How accurate is it, and what are its limits?
Hackster’s account of the simulator’s limitations says it does not model electrical breakdown, quantum tunneling, or the Hall effect, and that its velocity-saturation treatment is not true velocity saturation. Some material properties are exaggerated so effects are easier to see; metals are represented as semiconductors with a very high equilibrium carrier concentration.
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These choices make the program useful for visual explanation and experimentation, but they also define where not to rely on it. It is not a complete device-physics package or a validated substitute for professional semiconductor TCAD or laboratory measurement. Treat its displays as an aid to intuition, and consult more detailed models when engineering accuracy matters.
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