Quantum Tunneling Composite
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Quantum Tunneling Composites (or QTCs) are composite materials of metals and elastomeric binder, used as pressure sensors. As the name imples, they operate using quantum tunnelling: without pressure, the conductive elements are too far apart to conduct electricity. When pressure is applied, they move closer and electricity can tunnel across the insulator. The effect is far more pronounced than would be expected from classical (non-quantum) effects alone, as classical resistance is linear (proportional to distance), while quantum tunelling is expoential with decreasing distance, allowing a factor of up to 1012 difference between pressured and upressured states.
QTCs were discovered in 1996 and PeraTech Ltd was established to investigate them further.
