Evidence of near-ambient superconductivity in a N-doped lutetium hydride

[GoodTaste]

Article
Published: 08 March 2023
Evidence of near-ambient superconductivity in a N-doped lutetium hydride

Source: Nature

Should "in a N-doped..." be "in an N-doped..."?

 

[jutfrank]

If you pronounce the 'N' as 'nitrogen' (I assume that's what it means) rather than as the letter, then the original is fine.

 

[probus]

In writting either a or an is acceptable in my opinion. The purpose of "an" is euphony in speech when the following word begins with a vowel sound. If I had to read such a title aloud I'd solve the problem by making the "a" rhyme with pay.

 

[tedmc]

Give me an/a "N".

In the above, I would write "an"

 

[SoothingDave]

It should be "an." You can N-dope and P-dope. Negative and positive. Add electrons or add holes.

 

[jutfrank]

It should be "an." You can N-dope and P-dope. Negative and positive. Add electrons or add holes.

Are you sure? I think 'N-doping' stands for 'nitrogen doping', which is a kind of N-type (negative type) doping. (Please put me right if that's not the case.)

Since this is the title of the paper, I tend to think that it isn't an error, and that the writer assumes it to be read as the full word 'nitrogen' rather than the letter 'N'.

 

[SoothingDave]

You seem to be right. I was going on general knowledge and not this specific experiment. It is nitrogen.