E-Mail IMAGE: A diagram of a nanowire cross-section shows the interaction between atoms in the nanowire core. Yellow atoms: germanium; red atoms: chromium; purple atoms around the outside of the yellow-red connections:... view more Credit: Ranjit Pati/Michigan Tech The electron is one of the fundamental particles in nature we read about in school. Its behavior holds clues to new ways to store digital data. In a study published in Nano Letters, physicists from Michigan Technological University explore alternative materials to improve capacity and shrink the size of digital data storage technologies. Ranjit Pati, professor of physics at Michigan Tech, led the study and explains the physics behind his team's new nanowire design.