They have recorded an electron

2007/09/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Fisika

Two physicists from Brown University have managed to do something that until now was considered impossible: to be able to see a single electron in sight and record its movement with a simple domestic video camera.

The most difficult thing was to make the electron visible. The base has been the repulsion force of electrons. The electrons repel the atoms that surround them forming a small hole around them, a bubble. By placing a free electron in a normal liquid, it would cause a great pressure on the electron hole and destroy the bubble. To avoid this, they placed the electron in a special liquid, liquid helium, which exerts very low pressure. As a result, the bubble around the electron became much more evident. However, it was still too small to be seen, as it was 40 angstromas.

To further increase the bubble sound waves were used. The movement of the waves caused pressure changes in the bubble: when the waves hit the electron, the pressure increased around the electron and the bubble reduced, while when it moved away from the electron the pressure decreased and the electron bubble rose to reach 8 microns. With this size you could see clearly, as it had the size of a small particle of dust. Then he lit up and recorded with the right light.