Visualizing the Electron Wind Force in Nanostructures Ellen D.
Williams [This is an invited article based on a recently
published work by the authors -- 2Physics.com] Authors:
Chenggang Tao, William G. Cullen, and Ellen D. Williams
Affiliation: Materials Research Science and Engineering Center &
Department of Physics, University of Maryland, USA Link to the
Williams Lab >> As electronic devices get smaller and smaller,
they are more susceptible to effects of the charge carriers
flowing through them. The charge carriers (electrons in metals)
can push atoms around by collisions. For some specific types of
atomic structures (for example, atomic “steps”, where the
surface height changes by one layer of atoms), the scattering
force is much stronger than had been thought . These structures
are ubiquitous for the surfaces of solid materials, and this
becomes very important for nanoscale electronics where surfaces
make up a much bigger fraction of the material. W. G. Cullen
(left) and Chenggang Tao (right) A very car