Quantum mechanical effect of passing an electron through a potential energy barrier separating two energy equivalent regions.
Note: The electron tunneling effect is exploited, e.g., in scanning tunneling microscopes, pressure sensors based on
quantum tunneling polymer composites and in touchable panels of electronic devices.
Source:
PAC, 2022, 94, 15. 'Glossary of terms relating to electronic, photonic and magnetic properties of polymers (IUPAC Recommendations 2021)' on page 28 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2020-0501)