Ultrafine glass from oxygen and silicon

For the first time in human history, a group of scientists received the glass thickness of only three layers of atoms. And further it is worth noting that the discovery was able to capture on film. If to this significant moment of the glass structure it was known only on theoretical assumptions, but now the situation has changed dramatically. A thin glass plate is really composed of silicon and oxygen atom rings. Theoretically, such a structure has been predicted in the thirties of the last century. But to see it all with my own eyes, scientists were able to just now.

By the way the interesting thing is that the purpose of the experience gave rise to an unusual experiment was quite different.

The object of the experiment served as a study of the formation and behavior of graphene in a given situation. When researchers began to grow on a quartz glass substrate material is necessary, then a small dingy mark was seen on one of the prototypes. Peering closer to a foreign substance, scientists have determined it the thinnest glass. Incidentally further research quickly moved it to a randomly derived substance. For thin film is a much more interesting than the original experimental facility. Since the thickness of the glass material was quite small, it is easy to translucent. Powerful electron microscope has allowed not only to consider all the details of the structure and characteristics of the glass lattice formation, but also to capture on film the opening.

The level of nuclear research has shown that in fact the glass structure and graphene are similar enough. The obtained substance had the same cell detected, the hexagonal nature which are peculiar graphene lattice. However, some differences do exist. After the glass is amorphous in nature, and therefore the connection between the atoms are not constant in its structure. Therefore, the glass structure may comprise individual cells of different geometric dimensions. Amorphous structure obtained by randomly on a substrate made of quartz, and further tests have confirmed. Research subjected to the energy potential of the electrons, which by means of a special device stetoskopicheskogo passed through a prototype.