What Does Fine-Structure Constant Mean?
The fine-structure constant is a part of quantum and
traditional physics, a constant that represents the strength of electromagnetic
forces controlling the behavior of charged particles. It is made up of the
following components:
- Elementary charge
- Free space
- Planck’s constant
- Speed of light
The fine-structure constant is also known as Sommerfeld’s constant.
Techopedia Explains Fine-Structure Constant
As a physics concept, fine-structure constant is mostly
confined to in-depth engineering principles, and more related to quantum
science than computer science. However, there is some overlap, notably, in the
field of nanotechnology, where the controlling of charged particles is a core
concept, and in advances such as solid-state technology, where controlling
charged particles across a layer or substrate is an essential part of design.
A
scientific brief on the
issue from 2011
notes that “the existence of the universal dynamic
conductance and the quantized optical transparency of graphene observable at
room temperature attracted a lot of interest from researchers in different
fields, such as optics, solid state physics and electronics.” The piece talks
about fine-structure constant in plasmonic nanoarrays, which is one modern
application of this type of physics.
