How a tetrahedral substance can be more symmetrical than a spherical atom: A new type of symmetry
(WorldNews Japan)

Scientists at Tokyo Tech have theoretically demonstrated that special tetrahedron nanostructures composed of certain metals have a higher degree of symmetry than the geometrical symmetry of spherical atoms. Nanomaterials with unique and unprecedented electrical and magnetic properties arising from this symmetry will be developed and used for next-generation electronic devices. Figure 1.Quantum states of various symmetrical species. Spherical atoms have the highest geometrical symmetry, and thus exhibit the high multiplicity of quantum states, usually called degeneracy. It has long been believed that any polyatomic species cannot exceed a sphere due to geometrical limitations....