source file: mills3.txt Date: Thu, 1 Jan 1998 08:42:01 +0100 Subject: Semiconductor analog to phonons From: "Brian M. Ames" There is in semiconductor theory a conceptual particle called a "hole" which represents the absence of an electron in the lattice of the substrate. It has the same properties as an electron except opposite charge and direction. Likewise, a particle called a "phonon" can be conceived. It would have properties derived from the medium in which the sound traveled; in air it would essentially be a nitrogen molecule. Since the collisions between molecules are not perfectly elastic, phonons would "tire out" and stop moving as their energy dissipated. They would not obey quantum laws which in any event become insignificant in the large collections of particles which is the domain of sound. Just as semiconductor holes cannot travel beyond the boundary (juncture) of the substrate, phonons would not be able to travel between media. They would instead transfer their energy to phonons in the other media at the juncture. And, of course, phonons would not be able to cross empty space as photons do. Do phonons exist? Yes, to the extent the concept is useful. Is it a useful concept? This is uncertain. SMTPOriginator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu From: Aline Surman Subject: New Year PostedDate: 01-01-98 18:19:25 SendTo: CN=coul1358/OU=AT/O=EZH ReplyTo: tuning@eartha.mills.edu $MessageStorage: 0 $UpdatedBy: CN=notesrv2/OU=Server/O=EZH,CN=coul1358/OU=AT/O=EZH,CN=Manuel op de Coul/OU=AT/O=EZH RouteServers: CN=notesrv2/OU=Server/O=EZH,CN=notesrv1/OU=Server/O=EZH RouteTimes: 01-01-98 18:17:05-01-01-98 18:17:06,01-01-98 18:16:27-01-01-98 18:16:27 DeliveredDate: 01-01-98 18:16:27 Categories: $Revisions: Received: from ns.ezh.nl ([137.174.112.59]) by notesrv2.ezh.nl (Lotus SMTP MTA SMTP v4.6 (462.2 9-3-1997)) with SMTP id C125657F.005EEED6; Thu, 1 Jan 1998 18:18:51 +0100 Received: by ns.ezh.nl; (5.65v3.2/1.3/10May95) id AA29168; Thu, 1 Jan 1998 18:19:25 +0100 Date: Thu, 1 Jan 1998 18:19:25 +0100 Received: from ella.mills.edu by ns (smtpxd); id XA28955 Received: (qmail 23148 invoked from network); 1 Jan 1998 09:19:22 -0800 Received: from localhost (HELO ella.mills.edu) (127.0.0.1) by localhost with SMTP; 1 Jan 1998 09:19:22 -0800 Message-Id: <34ABD8BC.612A@dnvr.uswest.net> Errors-To: madole@mills.edu Reply-To: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Originator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Sender: tuning@eartha.mills.edu