Email Print Share

All Images


News Release 06-085

A Cool Way to Strip Hydrogen

Using lasers to clear silicon surfaces could make for cheaper, better computer chips and solar cells

This material is available primarily for archival purposes. Telephone numbers or other contact information may be out of date; please see current contact information at media contacts.

Laser light proves to be a gentle way to clear hydrogen from a silicon surface.

Laser photons (wavy red lines) can clear hydrogen atoms (grey and purple) from the surface of silicon (yellow) at much lower temperatures than conventional techniques.

Credit: Brian Muller, Vanderbilt University