tin whisker

English

Etymology

From tin +‎ whisker, from being first observed with tin alloys.

Noun

tin whisker (plural tin whiskers)

1. One of the thin, whisker-like protrusions that project out of tin surfaces (especially found on electroplated tin), which are crystalline and electrically conductive.
2. (by extension) The same phenomenon found with other metals with low melting points.

Synonyms

• (metals): whisker (abbreviation)

Derived terms

• (metals): whisker (abbreviation)
• (tin): whisker (generalization) (metal whiskers)
• zinc whisker