To advance devices and make them smaller, faster, and more efficient, scientists need to understand how these materials behave at the level of individual atoms. This is a map demonstrating how materials respond to electricity on an atomic level that was created in Japan by researchers at the University of Electro-Communications. Applying this also to diamond, they found something remarkable: Instead of getting weaker at its surface as most materials do, a diamond’s potential for handling electrical energy actually increases! But diamond’s surface hosts unusual electrons that act as if they’re floating above the surface, making them highly responsive to electrical fields. Because diamond’s surface properties are distinctive, scientists could use the material to create more efficient and energy-saving electronics that would help future devices operate cooler and consume less energy.