As you may remember from high school, electrical current is generated from the flow of electrons in a circuit. Beyond knowing you need electrical current to keep your phone charged and laptop humming, you probably haven't given it more thought.
But what's really going on? Do electrons "flow" around circuits like water flows from a tap?
In a fluid like water, the movement of water molecules is generally unrestricted, subject only to changes in momentum or heat. In comparison, electrons--like many subatomic particles in solids--live a hectic life subject to collisions, scattering and other joys of entropy that depend on their environment.
In the circuits we are familiar with, diffusion controls the motion of electrons. This means we can control the conductivity of electrons in these semiconducting materials--very helpful for things that require an on/off switch. In metals, electrons behave more like an avalanche of balls through a pinball machine, ricocheting off imperfections and defects.
Now, Moore Foundation grantees at Harvard University have discovered electrons can demonstrate "hydrodynamic" behavior in quantum materials and "flow" through long channels (or pipes) like water. These findings suggest behavior associated with hydrodynamics, such as shocks or turbulence, could be used in electronic devices.
Read a perspective piece in Science magazine here.
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