Quantum+Tunneling+and+Laundry+Detergent+--+Bugden,+John;+Forman,+Adam

media type="custom" key="5125809" =Introduction= Quantum tunneling is the idea that an electron can pass through a solid barrier, due to the fact that its behavior as a wave causes its energy to diminish exponentially when it comes in contact with the barrier, rather then completely going to zero. Therefore, when a traveling wave hits a barrier, if adequate conditions are observed, amplitude from the wave can go through the barrier, leaving a traveling wave on the other side. According to the [|Copenhagen Interpretation] of quantum mechanics, the electron is a wave until a measurement or observation is made, at which time it collapses into a point. If we accept the interpretation as true, the electron, as the traveling wave on both sides of the barrier, would collapse to a single point. That point could theoretically be on either side of the barrier.

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=Quantum Tunneling In Terms of a Wave (or a hill)= =Controversy About Quantum Tunneling Theory= =Quantum Cosmology and Quantum Gravity= Quantum Cosmology is the application of Quantum Theory to the [|Hot Big Bang] and the beginning of the universe. This application would, in effect accomplish the daunting task of the unification of Quantum Theory with Classical Physics, specifically the theory of Gravity. The Theory of Gravity is used to describe the actions of objects we perceive ("normal-sized objects"), and scales up to account for extremely large bodies (e.g. stars). The Big Bang theory, however, states that at one point the entire universe was compressed into a size small enough that Quantum Mechanics would apply to it. This seems like an ideal context for a union of the two theories. However, though the universe may have been small at the moment of its beginning, it is now certainly massive, and to describe the Big Bang in terms of Quantum Theory, one would have to quantize the entirety of space-time, not just fields within it. In current research, there are three major quantum theories of gravity that are currently being developed. There is the theory of //Supergravity//, which works off of a symmetry between two sub-atomic particles called fermions and bosons. This symmetry is called Supersymmetry, and is also used, in combination with Einstein's String Theory, to create the //Superstring Theory.// The other major theory, //Non-Perturbative Canonical Quantum Gravity//, redefines space-time as a loop rather than a flat shape, which leads to an additional group of Quantum Gravitational Theories. This group attempts to completely re-define the idea of space-time in order to quantize it, instead of trying to match the two different sets of existing mathematics. ** Quantum Tunneling Transistor** = = A technological application of QT is the Quantum Tunneling Transistor (QTT). A transistor is a device that can act as an on/off switch or amplify electrical currents. The QTT uses the principle of QT by having charged electrons in the top Quantum Well (QW) tunnel through a layer of aluminum gallium arsenide into the bottom QW. The research behind the QTT was first described at the 1997 IEEE International Electric Device Meeting. It represents an advancement to previous transistors due to its vastly increased speed and smaller size, and was first successfully built by Sandia researchers in a way that allowed them to be mass-produced in 1998. Although quantum tunneling transistors have been built for research purposes since the 1980s, the gallium arsenide contacts, control gates and depletion gates had ultra-thin components engraved side-by-side on them, a consuming process, even with modern-day lithographs. The Sandia researchers instead had the novel idea of stacking the components vertically, able to do so because of new molecular beam technology capable of depositing substances with 1-atom thicknesses.
 * 1) The explanation for an electron "climbing a wave" if the rules of classical physics were followed would imply that the electron would travel to the crest of the wave, then return down the other side. So according to classical physics, a human would walk to the top of a hill and continue down the other side.
 * 2) In quantum physics, however, if we accept the theory of quantum tunneling, the electron particle can pass underneath the crest of the wave. This is the "tunnel" it creates[[image:quantum-tunneling-speed-of-light-broken3.jpg width="154" height="86" align="right"]] and although there is no actual tunnel, the electron would some how pass through the wave, appearing on the other side. With our human climbing a hill analogy, the human would "tunnel" through the bottom of the hill and arrive on the other side, having moved in a straight line, not going up and coming back down. The same principle of quantum physics //could// occur with a human walking over a hill, but the probability is so minuscule that it is not likely to ever happen.

=Quantum Tunneling Composite Technology (QTC)= In standard composites, usually made from many carbon-filled polymers that are in contact with each other. This contact creates a conduction path as heat is transfered from one polymer to another. If pressure is applied to the composite, the polymers come closer together and more conduction paths are created. (This is called percolation) However, in Quantum Tunneling Composites, a conductive particle is combined into a non-conductive polymer matrix. The particles do not come in contact, but they come close enough to allow quantum tunneling to happen. QTC pills can be stretched, compressed or twisted and transformed into a virtually perfect insulator or a metal-like conductor and they can be tuned to the appropriate situation at hand. So put simply : When pressure is put on one of these QTC pills, an LED can shine at different levels, a power tool can run at different speeds, etc. Scientists hope that this technology could be used as switches, fuses, sensors in cars (to detect occupancy of car, position of windows, seatbelt tension or vibration), and power tool switches. They are even being used as extremely sensitive scales.

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The video above shows a simple practical application of Quantum Tunneling Composite pills. (In poor quality) It shows the brightness of an LED varying based on a change in pressure put on it.