A new way to stretch and study brittle materials (IMAGE)

DOE/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

A new way to stretch and study brittle materials

Caption

To see how strain affects the electronic properties of a brittle oxide material, researchers at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University turned it into a super-thin, flexible membrane, used micromanipulators to stretch it on a tiny apparatus and glued it in place to preserve the stretch. Stretching flipped the material from being an electrical conductor to an insulator and changed its magnetic properties. The technique can be used to study and design a broad range of materials for use in things like sensors and detectors.

Credit

Seung Sae Hong, Greg Stewart/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Usage Restrictions

None

License

Licensed content

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.