🔍 What is Quantum Tunneling?
- In classical physics, a ball won’t go through a wall.
T If the wave’s probability extends through the barrier, there’s a chance the particle will appear on the other side.
🧠 Simple Analogy
Imagine you’re rolling a ball up a hill:
- If the ball doesn’t have enough energy, it rolls back down.
🔌 Real-Life Devices Using Quantum Tunneling
1. Tunnel Diodes
- These are special semiconductors where tunneling allows current to flow in a unique way.
- Used in fast switching circuits.
2. Flash Memory (like USB drives or SSDs)
3. Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM)
- Allows scientists to “see” atoms on a surface.
- Works by measuring the tunneling current between a sharp tip and a surface.
4. Quantum Computing
- Qubits rely on tunneling and other quantum effects.
- Tunneling can allow qubits to switch states or interact in useful ways.
