Tiny 'Tin Whiskers' Imperil Electronics

October 5, 2007 By JORDAN ROBERTSON, AP Technology Writer Tiny 'Tin Whiskers' Imperil Electronics (AP)

Henning Leidecker, a chief parts engineer with NASA Goddard, looks at an electrical relay that has grown tin whiskers in Greenbelt, MD on Friday, Sept. 28, 2007. Tin Whiskers are tiny tin strands that sprout without warning from tin finish or solder, short-circuiting electronics. By some estimates, they've caused as much as $10 billion in damage since they were first noticed in the 1940s. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

(AP) -- They've ruined missiles, silenced communications satellites and forced nuclear power plants to shut down. Pacemakers, consumer gadgets and even a critical part of a space shuttle have fallen victim.



Content from The Associated Press expires 15 days after original publication date. For more information about The Associated Press, please visit www.ap.org .

Similar stories from PHYSorg:


The Shoulders of Giants

created Feb 08, 2010 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 3

Prius problems put spotlight on car electronics

created Feb 04, 2010 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (6) | comments 6

CU-Boulder instrument package to study space weather set for NASA launch Feb. 9

created Feb 04, 2010 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Iran sends rocket with animal menagerie into space

created Feb 03, 2010 | popularity 5 / 5 (4) | comments 11

Change in space for NASA: Renting the Right Stuff

created Jan 31, 2010 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 11


   
Rate this story - 4.5 /5 (41 votes)


October 5, 2007 all stories

Comments: 0

4.5 /5 (41 votes)



  • hide
  • Relevant PhysicsForums posts

Other News

Students find ?lost? office gear with tiny sensors

Students find 'lost' office gear with tiny sensors

Technology / Engineering

created 57 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 1 | with audio podcast

(PhysOrg.com) -- Miniature sensors being developed by CSIRO promise to provide the answers to questions which seem to arise regularly in modern office workplaces like: "Where's my pen?" and; "Who nicked my ...


Sprint Nextel slows subscriber loss in 4th quarter

Technology / Telecom

created 22 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

(AP) -- Sprint Nextel says its subscriber losses slowed in the fourth quarter, an encouraging sign for the wireless carrier that has lost millions of customers over the past few years.


3 Questions: Steven Spear on Toyota's troubles

3 Questions: Steven Spear on Toyota's troubles

Technology / Other

created 2 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

For decades, Toyota has been viewed as a paragon of corporate improvement, innovation and effectiveness, qualities that helped it become the world’s largest automaker.


Toshiba to spend billions on new chip factory: report

Technology / Semiconductors

created 2 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Japan's Toshiba plans to spend almost nine billion dollars to build a new factory producing memory chips for mobile telephones, cameras and other electronics, a report said Wednesday.


AOL integrates Facebook chat with AIM

Technology / Internet

created 3 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

(AP) -- As part of an ongoing effort to improve its user experience, Internet company AOL Inc. is letting users of its AIM instant-messaging service chat with friends on Facebook.