3 ms·

I was confused by not seeing an explanation of where the attraction comes from (there shouldn't be any). Sounds like the top and bottom layers push the electro

I was confused by not seeing an explanation of where the attraction comes from (there shouldn't be any). Sounds like the top and bottom layers push the electrons together and the electrons settle into a hexagonal grid like a flat arrangement of balls would. To me being able to measure/observe a thing like this is a whole other level of amazing.

gus_massa 5y ago
It's too far from my area to be sure, but let's guess ... Perhaps it similar to the Cooper pair effect. In this effect, it looks like electrons inside a conductor attract each other. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooper_pair https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooper_pair > Although Cooper pairing is a quantum effect, the reason for the pairing can be seen from a simplified classical explanation. An electron in a metal normally behaves as a free particle. The electron is repelled from other electrons due to their negative charge, but it also attracts the positive ions that make up the rigid lattice of the metal. This attraction distorts the ion lattice, moving the ions slightly toward the electron, increasing the positive charge density of the lattice in the vicinity. This positive charge can attract other electrons. At long distances, this attraction between electrons due to the displaced ions can overcome the electrons' repulsion due to their negative charge, and cause them to pair up. The rigorous quantum mechanical explanation shows that the effect is due to electron–phonon interactions, with the phonon being the collective motion of the positively-charged lattice. This attraction is too small and is only important when the temperature is very low, and is the explanation of low temperature superconductivity. <guess> So perhaps there is a Cooper-pair-like effect here, that creates the illusion that the electrons attract each other. They are using semiconductors, so perhaps it's caused not by the movement of the nuclei, but the movement of the holes in the other semiconductor.</guess>

gus_massa 5y ago

It's too far from my area to be sure, but let's guess ... Perhaps it similar to the Cooper pair effect. In this effect, it looks like electrons inside a conductor attract each other. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooper_pair https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooper_pair > Although Cooper pairing is a quantum effect, the reason for the pairing can be seen from a simplified classical explanation. An electron in a metal normally behaves as a free particle. The electron is repelled from other electrons due to their negative charge, but it also attracts the positive ions that make up the rigid lattice of the metal. This attraction distorts the ion lattice, moving the ions slightly toward the electron, increasing the positive charge density of the lattice in the vicinity. This positive charge can attract other electrons. At long distances, this attraction between electrons due to the displaced ions can overcome the electrons' repulsion due to their negative charge, and cause them to pair up. The rigorous quantum mechanical explanation shows that the effect is due to electron–phonon interactions, with the phonon being the collective motion of the positively-charged lattice. This attraction is too small and is only important when the temperature is very low, and is the explanation of low temperature superconductivity. <guess> So perhaps there is a Cooper-pair-like effect here, that creates the illusion that the electrons attract each other. They are using semiconductors, so perhaps it's caused not by the movement of the nuclei, but the movement of the holes in the other semiconductor.</guess>