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Electrons flowing across the boundary between two materials are the foundation of many key technologies, from flash memories to batteries and solar cells. Now researchers have directly observed and clocked these tiny cross-border movements for the first time, watching as electrons raced seven-tenths of a nanometer – about the width of seven hydrogen atoms – in 100 millionths of a billionth of a second.Led by scientists at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University, the team made these observations by measuring tiny bursts of electromagnetic waves given off by the traveling electrons – a phenomenon described more than a century ago by Maxwell's equations, but only now applied to this important measurement.
"To make something useful, generally you need to put different materials together and transfer charge or heat or light between them," said Eric Yue Ma, a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of SLAC/Stanford Professor Tony Heinz and lead author of a report in Science Advances.
"This opens up a new way to measure how charge – in this case, electrons and holes – travels across the abrupt interface between two materials," he said. "It doesn't just apply to layered materials. For instance, it can also be used to look at electrons flowing between a solid surface and molecules that are attached to it, or even, in principle, between a liquid and a solid."
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2019-02-view-electron-short-speedy-border.html#jCp
"We Need a Wall - Electrons are Crossing Our Borders" is a phrase used to describe the concept of creating a physical barrier to prevent the flow of electrons between two points in an electrical circuit.
A wall for electrons is necessary to control the flow of electricity and prevent unwanted interference or disruptions in a circuit. It can also help improve the efficiency and accuracy of electronic devices.
A wall for electrons can be created using various materials such as insulators or semiconductors. These materials have properties that resist the flow of electrons, creating a barrier or "wall" that prevents the electrons from crossing over to the other side.
Having a wall for electrons can help protect sensitive electronic components from damage, reduce interference and noise in circuits, and improve the overall performance and reliability of electronic devices.
While there are many benefits to having a wall for electrons, there are also some potential downsides. For example, if the wall is not properly designed or implemented, it can create resistance and hinder the flow of electricity, leading to decreased efficiency or even failure of the circuit.