Posted on 02/23/2008 5:08:00 PM PST by neverdem
I.B.M. scientists have measured the force needed to nudge one atom.
About one-130-millionth of an ounce of force pushes a cobalt atom across a smooth, flat piece of platinum.
Pushing the same atom along a copper surface is easier, just one-1,600-millionth of an ounce of force.
The scientists report these minuscule findings in Fridays issue of the journal Science.
I.B.M. scientists have been pushing atoms around for some time, since Donald M. Eigler of the companys Almaden Research Center in San Jose, Calif., spelled IBM using 35 xenon atoms in 1989. Since then, researchers at the company have continued to explore how they might be able to construct structures and electronic components out of individual atoms.
Knowing the precise forces required to move atoms helps us to understand what is possible and what is not possible, said Andreas J. Heinrich, a physicist at Almaden and an author of the new Science paper. Its a stepping stone for us, but its by no means the end goal.
In the experiment, Dr. Heinrich and his collaborators at Almaden and the University of Regensburg in Germany used the sharp tip of an atomic force microscope to push a single atom. To measure the force, the tip was attached to a small tuning fork, the same kind that is found in a quartz wristwatch. In fact, in the first prototype, Franz J. Giessibl, a scientist at Regensburg who was a pioneer in the use of atomic force microscopes, bought an inexpensive watch and pulled out the quartz tuning fork for use in the experiment.
The tip vibrates 20,000 times a second until it comes into contact with an atom. As the tip pushes, the tuning fork bends, like a diving board, and the vibration frequency dips.
A single atom does not roll, and even...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
OK, when you used the word “wrong” what did you mean?
This is great info. I’ve always wanted to push a bunch of those little buggers around.
Heard that, could you imagine Newton with a staff of programmers and a row of mainframes?
Actually, conductivity in megasiemens per meter:
Silver 63
Copper 58 or 59
Gold 45
Aluminum 37
Platinum 9.5
Well heck, pilgrim.
You got yer theoretical physics, and then you got yer experimental physics. Seems t’ me it takes both kinds.
As I read what you posted copper is a better conductor that gold?
Doesn’t seem right, but I’m not an expert.
So, what did you mean by your posts?
Interesting subject. Thanks for the ping!
Right. They’re listed from most conductive to least.
It would have been much less but they were using Union labor.
Do NOT put the question and answer together!
That's cause scientists rarely get any.
Although I'm sure she
has had plenty of offers.
Full Disclosure: Legend has it that Schrodinger came up with his famous wave equation whilst on a tryst in Switzerland with a mistress.
Cheers!
Cheers!
Chuckle. It seems I DID get it right in post #18! LOL!
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