Electron Wrinkles

1993/11/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Elektronika
• Fisika

For the first time in the world, on a surface of copper, small wrinkles, but very regular, have been seen live in the IBM research center of the California city of San José. They are wrinkles due to the displacement of electrons.

Like any particle, electrons can act as waves or as particles. This duality is one of the bases of quantum physics. In the electron microscope, for example, the wave part of the electrons is used. In the image above this aspect has also been spectacular.

As waves, electrons move like the waves of the ocean and are located on the slopes of the crystal surface. These are the so-called stationary waves that physicists have been able to observe IBM researchers under the “tunnel-effect” microscope.

The spatial periodicity of these waves (distance between the summits of the two consecutive waves or wavelength, is 15 <unk> ngström (15.10-10 m). A spectacular image of this basic physical phenomenon and a great step in understanding surfaces.