January_AMP_Digital

them,” says Muller. Researchers imaged thin glass with a transmission electron micro-

scope and shot a beam of high-energy electrons at the glass, causing visible structural

deformation. Muller described the electrons as “tickling” the glass in order to deform

it and simultaneously image what was happening. “Everyone thought it was impossi-

ble to see atoms moving in a glass, and suddenly we were able to do it with this new,

ultrathin glass. You could say, we have identified some of the basic dance moves,”

Muller added. These insights may even-

tually lead to atom-by-atom designs for

stronger glass panes or more robust tran-

sistors.

For more information: David

Muller, 607/255-4065,

dm24@cornell.edu

http://muller.research.engineering

cornell.edu

The trajectories of atoms in silica glass as it

deforms, overlaid on a transmission electron

microscopy image. Courtesy of Pinshane

Huang.

Expansion ensures beryllium

availability

Materion Brush Beryllium & Com-

posites, Elmore, Ohio, completed a signif-

icant milestone of its capabilities and

operations for proprietary investment

cast AlBeCast aluminum beryllium prod-

ucts. Materion is reportedly the world’s

only mine-to-mill integrated beryllium

producer. Aluminum beryllium castings

provide favorable cost/benefit advantages

for end users requiring a combination of

ultra-light weight, stiffness, mechanical

stability, and thermal properties. The in-

vestment follows a major expansion of the

Elmore facility’s primary beryllium pro-

duction capacity undertaken during the

past several years as part of an innovative

private-public partnership between Ma-

terion and the U.S. Department of De-

fense. This capability supports the

beryllium product lines required to meet

both defense and critical civilian needs.

www.materion.com

Liquidmetal Technologies Inc.,

Rancho

Santa Margarita, Calif., delivered missile

canards for a future test of

Lockheed Mar-

tin’s

Extended Area Protection and Surviv-

ability missile—an advanced performance,

highly affordable hit-to-kill missile inter-

ceptor designed to defeat rocket, artillery,

and mortar targets with reduced probabili-

ties for collateral damage. The unique alloy

and processing methods yield parts with

dimensional consistency and precision at

an affordable cost.