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indium Definition

in·dium (in′dē əm)

noun

a rare metallic chemical element, soft, ductile, and silver-white, occurring in some zinc ores and used in producing bearings and various alloys that melt at relatively low temperatures: symbol, In; at. no., 49

Etymology: ModL: so named (1863) by F. Reich (1799-1882) & H. T. Richter (1824-98), Ger metallurgists < L indicum, indigo + -ium, because of the two indigo lines in its spectrum

indium Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • contain: The 60 Å gain regions of these devices typically contains 9 % indium and 34 % aluminum resulting in a high affinity for oxygen.

Modifies a noun

  • antimonide: Having passed through the gas sample, the output beam is monitored by a liquid nitrogen cooled indium antimonide detector.
  • phosphide: We grow layers of crystals containing indium, phosphorus, gallium and arsenic on wafers of indium phosphide.
  • gallium: Semiconductor detectors are usually used: the most common are silicon, lead sulfide, indium antimonide or indium gallium arsenide.
  • hydride: The success of the project has lead to the establishment of a number of members of our group now looking at indium hydride chemistry.
  • oxide: Hydrated indium oxide is a poison by intravenous route.
  • tin: The nozzle is fabricated in the silicon substrate just above a thin-film indium tin oxide heater deposited on glass.

Noun used with modifier

  • conductor: We have used the transparent conductor indium tin oxide to fabricated electrode arrays with approximately 500 electrodes spaced at 60 Am.
  • %: The 60 Å gain regions of these devices typically contains 9 % indium and 34 % aluminum resulting in a high affinity for oxygen.