This weakness is caused by defects forming in their crystal-lattice structure, which in turn are caused by high-energy particles such as neutrons bumping into individual atoms and knocking them out of place.

ECONOMIST: New materials for renewable energy

Russell and Xu's method starts with a sliced crystal, either sapphire or silicon, cut at an angle that exposes a ragged section of the crystal's lattice structure.

FORBES: Nanotech