Phase‑change Material

Phase‑change material refers to a substance that can reversibly shift between an amorphous arrangement of atoms and a more ordered crystalline lattice when supplied with heat or another form of energy. In the disordered state the material typically behaves like a poor conductor of electricity and heat, while the ordered state usually offers much higher conductivity and often distinct optical properties. Because the transformation can be triggered quickly and undone by cooling or applying a different stimulus, such materials act as switches that operate at the atomic level rather than relying on moving parts.