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It says that this could help with semiconductor design but I'm curious how. From what I can tell we only observe this behavior in very specific materials at in

It says that this could help with semiconductor design but I'm curious how. From what I can tell we only observe this behavior in very specific materials at incredibly low temperatures. Is it as simple as "understanding electricity better will let us design electronics better?" Apologies if this is a silly question, I'm completely out of my depth.

Terry_Roll 4y ago
I would imagine for the low temperature environment of space and satellites, but it might also improve the lifetime of circuit boards during powerup cycles. Its reported that power cycling stresses the circuit boards more than just leaving them switched on, so I wouldnt be surprised to see some changes made in everyday electronic devices. With that in mind, will we see less 90 degree turns on circuit boards in order to ensure the smooth flow of electrons, even though we cant yet detect any Oxbow (Resacas) "lakes" in circuit boards due to the rather rigid nature of circuit board design & materials. I would also imagine this "electron fluid" only applies to DC circuit applications, because AC electrons are perhaps best represented by every discerning business executive's desktop toy known as Newtons Cradle.
- adhesive_wombat 4y ago
  90 degree turns don't "wear out" as such, it's usually more that they (might) produce a reflection in a high-speed line. This is why high-speed traces are often curved. Also 90-degree corners can concentrate mechanical stress and act as acid traps which affect manufacturability. They're also ugly (and I'm only half joking). Power-up failure of a PCB is far more likely to be due to inrush current burning something out or thermal cycling leading to a broken connection than a viscous-current effect. Also, space-based devices aren't always cold: it actually takes a lot of engineering to keep them from overheating unless they're in perpetual shade, and even then you need to do more work to get to a superconductive regime.
zbrozek 4y ago
I'm also not seeing any immediate connection to better electronics. Maybe the resulting phenomena will be exploited to make better instruments that can be used in labs with cryo capability. Maybe the effects will be replicated in other materials or higher temperatures someday, and the experience won here will be important. Regardless, it's cool to know it's been witnessed.

Terry_Roll 4y ago

I would imagine for the low temperature environment of space and satellites, but it might also improve the lifetime of circuit boards during powerup cycles. Its reported that power cycling stresses the circuit boards more than just leaving them switched on, so I wouldnt be surprised to see some changes made in everyday electronic devices. With that in mind, will we see less 90 degree turns on circuit boards in order to ensure the smooth flow of electrons, even though we cant yet detect any Oxbow (Resacas) "lakes" in circuit boards due to the rather rigid nature of circuit board design & materials. I would also imagine this "electron fluid" only applies to DC circuit applications, because AC electrons are perhaps best represented by every discerning business executive's desktop toy known as Newtons Cradle.

adhesive_wombat 4y ago
90 degree turns don't "wear out" as such, it's usually more that they (might) produce a reflection in a high-speed line. This is why high-speed traces are often curved. Also 90-degree corners can concentrate mechanical stress and act as acid traps which affect manufacturability. They're also ugly (and I'm only half joking). Power-up failure of a PCB is far more likely to be due to inrush current burning something out or thermal cycling leading to a broken connection than a viscous-current effect. Also, space-based devices aren't always cold: it actually takes a lot of engineering to keep them from overheating unless they're in perpetual shade, and even then you need to do more work to get to a superconductive regime.

zbrozek 4y ago

I'm also not seeing any immediate connection to better electronics. Maybe the resulting phenomena will be exploited to make better instruments that can be used in labs with cryo capability. Maybe the effects will be replicated in other materials or higher temperatures someday, and the experience won here will be important. Regardless, it's cool to know it's been witnessed.