Large-format platinum silicide microwave kinetic inductance detectors for optical to near-IR astronomy.

See more Platinum products. Platinum (atomic symbol: Pt, atomic number: 78) is a Block D, Group 10, Period 6 element with an atomic weight of 195.084. The number of electrons in each of platinum's shells is [2, 8, 18, 32, 17, 1] and its electron configuration is [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁹ 6s¹. The platinum atom has a radius of 139 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 175 pm. Platinum was discovered and first isolated by Antonio de Ulloa in 1735. It is one of the rarest elements in the earth's crust, occurring at a concentration of only 0.005 ppm. Platinum is found uncombined as a free element and alloyed with iridium as platiniridium. In its elemental form, platinum has a grayish white appearance. It is highly resistant to corrosion: the metal does not oxidize in air at any temperature. It is generally non-reactive, even at high temperatures. The origin of the name "platinum" comes from the Spanish word platina, meaning silver.

See more Silicon products. Silicon (atomic symbol: Si, atomic number: 14) is a Block P, Group 14, Period 3 element with an atomic weight of 28.085. The number of electrons in each of Silicon's shells is 2, 8, 4 and its electron configuration is [Ne] 3s² 3p². The silicon atom has a radius of 111 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 210 pm. Silicon was discovered and first isolated by Jöns Jacob Berzelius in 1823. Silicon makes up 25.7% of the earth's crust, by weight, and is the second most abundant element, exceeded only by oxygen. The metalloid is rarely found in pure crystal form and is usually produced from the iron-silicon alloy ferrosilicon. Silica (or silicon dioxide), as sand, is a principal ingredient of glass, one of the most inexpensive of materials with excellent mechanical, optical, thermal, and electrical properties. Ultra high purity silicon can be doped with boron, gallium, phosphorus, or arsenic to produce silicon for use in transistors, solar cells, rectifiers, and other solid-state devices which are used extensively in the electronics industry.The name Silicon originates from the Latin word silex which means flint or hard stone.