Why some metals turn transparent: A key mechanism for touchscreen conductors

Researchers Gyanendra Singh and Josep Fontcuberta, from the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona, have experimentally confirmed a theory they proposed in 2021 that explains the mechanism by which some metals are transparent. Their findings, published in the journal Physical Review Letters, show that electrons in these materials move more slowly because they interact strongly with the vibrations of the material, so they cannot respond to visible light in the way electrons normally do in common metals.