Researchers Discover New States Of Electrons That Behave Like Light
A team of researchers at Princeton University's Materials Research Science and Engineering Center has observed electrons moving through a crystal of bismuth metal behaving like light.
This discovery, supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and detailed in today's edition of the journal Science, could lead to new kinds of electronic devices.
Electrons, or the particles of electri
More..city, fly through space like tiny baseballs. Alternatively, when an electron speeds between a crystal's periodic arrangement of atoms it behaves very differently. The fundamental equations that describe its motion in the crystal are very different from those of a free-flying baseball. For example, in bismuth, the fundamental equations of electron motion resemble those that describe the behavior of light. Although the electrons whirl about the crystal slower than at the speed of light, the electrons behave as if they are without mass like photons, the tiniest unit of light.
Over a decade ago, theoretical physicists supported by NSF studied electrons confined to artificial layered structures made of semiconductors--the stuff of which transistors are made of. They predicted that new kinds of electronic matter governed by the rules of quantum mechanics would emerge from the electrons in different layers coordinating their motions. Scientists hypothesized that bismuth crystals should also exhibit analogous electronic states.
The Princeton group, led by physics professor N. Phuan Ong, fixed a crystal of bismuth onto a flexing beam, or cantilever, and then placed this apparatus in a high magnetic field created at the NSF National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, which can generate magnetic fields that are more than a million times stronger than the earth's faint magnetic field.
Under such enormous magnetic fields, the cantilever twists. The way it twists tells the Princeton researchers about the subtle new kind of matter in the bismuth crystal.
In a single crystal of bismuth, electrons are often confined to three valleys in a complex abstract landscape that scientists use to represent an electron's energy in the crystalline structure. Through careful study of the twisting cantilever, they observed a transformation from a state where the electrons prefer to occupy only one valley to a state in which the electrons share their time among all the valleys in a dance choreographed by the fundamental rules of quantum mechanics.
"This is exciting because this was predicted but never shown before, and it may eventually lead to new paradigms in computing and electronics,"said Thomas Rieker, NSF program director for materials research center.
With this work, the theory of electrodynamics suggests a rich landscape of electronic states of semiconductors, and the Princeton researchers are continuing their adventure. Someday, these newly discovered electronic states of matter may enable powerful new electronic devices that exploit the principles of quantum mechanics to compute and communicate. For now we can marvel at the subtle beauty of nature that lives in a universe of electrons that lies beneath the shiny skin of a metal crystal.
This torque cantilever is used to measure magnetic property of bismuth in intense magnetic fields. The bismuth crystal (5.6 mm tall vertical pillar) is glued to the end of a thin cantilever beam made of gold. Deflections of the cantilever in a field are detected by measuring changes in capacitance. (Credit: N. Phuan Ong, Princeton University) Less..
Added: Jul 28 2008 In: education
By: HAPPYSNAPPER 
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crystal intel inside !!!
Yep ..i need more speed in my computer...
Posted Jul-28-2008 by "yaleoo" (R)
Crystal (bis)Muth? I feel the need-the need for speed!
Posted Jul-28-2008 by "jayboulware" Premium
ALREADY PREDICTED IN THE QURAN:
008.012 Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you:
give firmness to the Believers: I will instill terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers:
smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them."
Posted Jul-28-2008 by "U-tube" (R)
008.012 Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you:
give firmness to the Believers: I will instill terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers:
smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them."
Picture an anus the size of a car tire. Picture me ramming your head in it. Take a moment to contemplate that image and you will have true enlightenment.
Posted Jul-28-2008 by "dinky-doo" (R)
It's crystal clear that this is going to lead to new technology's
Posted Jul-28-2008 by "Huflind" (R)
Is this anything like making a bowl of cheerio's?
Posted Jul-28-2008 by "goidies" (R)
008.012 Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you:
give firmness to the Believers: I will instill terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers:
smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them."
Already predicted in the bible:
Bismuth 0:06-66
'God requested an ashtray, then said
"quantum physics is 'well cool', eh"
Then he played a wicked guitar solo'.
Amen...
Posted Jul-28-2008 by "plecostomus" (R)
i guss they doing a great job...by finding more ways to save energy...
Posted Jul-28-2008 by "betito" (R)
008.012 Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you:
give firmness to the Believers: I will instill terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers:
smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them."
Do you understand the definition of the word predicted? Judging by your comment, it is evident that you do not. Your comment appears too imply that your book predicted the particular event that this video is covering. However, the passage you quote has nothing to do with anything, much less this thread. Why are you even commenting? Are you going for the moron of the year award? If so, you have my vote!
If you are just seriously bored, and cannot find anything better to do, go see "dinky-doo". IMHO this user has some... uhm, very creative ideas regarding alternative pathways to enlightenment !!!
Posted Jul-28-2008 by "freedom_enforcer" (R)
008.012 Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you:
give firmness to the Believers: I will instill terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers:
smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them."
good one.
Posted Jul-28-2008 by "ass128" (R)
The image looks like some weird thing out of some garbage.
Then according to the text, our future is in this... thing.
Posted Jul-28-2008 by "bracket890" (R)
008.012 Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you:
give firmness to the Believers: I will instill terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers:
smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them."
dude - you really should Mind Your Own Bismuth
and awesome reply, piecostumes...
Posted Jul-28-2008 by "bluezpower" (R)
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b25_1204286608
Posted Jul-28-2008 by "hellhole" (R)
008.012 Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you:
give firmness to the Believers: I will instill terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers:
smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them."
Already predicted in the bible:
Bismuth 0:06-66
'God requested an ashtray, then said
"quantum physics is 'well cool', eh"
Then he played a wicked guitar solo'.
Amen...
Nice.
Posted Jul-30-2008 by "aaJax" (R)
Good find HS, I'm loving the increased increments towards quantum computing lately.
Posted Jul-30-2008 by "aaJax"