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A tiny atomic shift gives scientists powerful control over metals
A team at the University of Minnesota discovered that changing a metal film's thickness by just a few nanometers can dramatically alter how it behaves electronically. The finding reveals a surprising new way to control metals and could help power future advances in electronics, catalysis, and quantum technology.
The researchers mention that the lattice spacing changed by only 0.00000000000001 meters, but they're calling this a "powerful control" - that seems like an enormous exaggeration of such a minuscule change. How exactly does this tiny shift translate to meaningful manipulation of metal properties in practical applications?
The researchers mention that the lattice spacing changed by just 0.0000000000001 millimeters, but they don't explain how they were able to measure such an infinitesimal shift in real time. If the change is that small, what equipment or technique makes this level of precision actually possible in practice?