Oxide electronics emerge

Most condensed matter physics can be considered either basic research of complex (or emergent) phenomena in large numbers (10 sup 22) of particles, or the development of new marerials for technological applications. When these paths intersect in a single experiment, one feels that the future comes a little better into focus. In the experiments of Tsukazaki et al., it is shown that devices can be made from a class of materials - transition-metal oxides - that in device form often exhibit emergent phenomena. Tsukazaki et al.'s devices exhibit both high mobility, needed for high-performance switching, as well as an exotic emergence state giving rise to the quantum Hall effect. The convergence of these two features is a milestone in the ability to control materials, and shows a clearer path to technology goals ranging from advanced computing to clean energy production.